There are 32 invasive weeds of national significance – these are 10 of the worstNative to Mexico, wheel cactus (Opuntia robusta) was likely introduced to Australia, innocently enough, as a hardy ornamental garden plant. It escaped domestication and is now listed among Australia’s worst weeds of national significance.
The so-called Cactus Warriors from Maldon in Central Victoria (officially the Tarrangower Cactus Control Group) have waged a campaign against this noxious weed for two decades.
Control Group volunteers Asha Bannon and Jan Elliott attacking a wheel cactus infestation. (Supplied: Lee Mead, Tarrangower Cactus Control Group)
There have been some local successes. But one of the traits of these weeds is their ability to bounce back after even the shortest period of neglect.
Source: There are 32 weeds of national significance. Here are 10 of the worst by Gavin McGrath
I have seen cactuses more and more driving around the countryside, I had never conceived of them as a weed. For example, where the Melton Highway crosses Kororoit Creek, the hillside and fence lines are covered. I had – clearly naively – thought that they had been planted on purpose. After reading this article, I would presume not. This piece about two innocuous cactuses left on a cattle station says a lot:
More than half a century ago, workers left behind two potted cacti on an outback sheep station.
It should have been a harmless mistake.
But those cacti became ground zero for what is now a sprawling infestation choking up grazing country and infiltrating waterways.
Peter Whip co-owns the property, Leander, now a cattle and goat station, outside Longreach in western Queensland.
He said it was like an “atomic bomb of weed” had taken over the landscape.
Source: ‘Prickly little bugger’ invading outback started with two pot plants By Grace Nakamura
Also says something about the ornamental cactus that I gave my mother and she managed to kill. Probably a good thing in hindsight, I guess.