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Leaf cactus (Pereskia aculeata)

Leaf cactus is currently relatively localised to scattered sites in coastal south-eastern Queensland and adjacent New South Wales, but it can form dense, impenetrable thickets. Its fruits are eaten by birds, and the plant can spread from seed and branch fragments, creating a risk of new infestations.

Key facts

Type: Weed, cactus and succulent.

Native to: The West Indies, Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil and Argentina..

Established in: QLD, NSW.

Other names: Blade Apple, Lemon Vine, Barbados Gooseberry.

Best time to act: Plants grow actively from late August to early March, seedlings emerge from late May to November depending on rainfall, and flowering occurs from late November to May.

Identification

  • A fast-growing, climbing shrub with arched or scrambling branches up to 10 m long.
  • Older woody stems can be 20–30 mm in diameter, with clustered straight spines 10–60 mm long.
  • Paired, claw-like spines 3–5 mm long grow at the bases of the thin, waxy, slightly succulent leaves.
  • Fragrant white to pale yellow flowers may age pink; spiny, roundish yellow to orange fruits are 20–45 mm in diameter.

Where it grows

In Australia it occurs at scattered sites in coastal south-eastern Queensland and adjacent parts of New South Wales, including riparian vegetation and Eucalyptus communities.

Why it matters

  • It can climb over and smother native trees and other vegetation.
  • It forms large, impenetrable thickets, and its spiny stems and branches make large infestations difficult to control.
  • It can restrict access to riverbanks and injure people, affecting recreation and tourism.
  • Bird-dispersed fruits can help establish new populations and contribute to rapid spread.

How it spreads

  • Birds eat the seeds in the fruits and can carry propagules away from the original plant.
  • Plants can establish from discarded plants and fragmented branches, which may also be washed downstream from creeks and other water bodies.
  • Dumping the plant in roadside vegetation is another likely cause of spread.

Control options

  • Contact your local council or state or territory weed management agency for advice, and report suspected plants.
  • Do not attempt control without expert advice, as poorly performed or incomplete control can help spread the weed.
  • Herbicide can be effective for eradication; seek local advice on registered herbicides and approved methods.
  • For a small number of plants, individual removal and destruction can be effective, but remove all plant material and follow up in later years to control new seedlings.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Avoid moving or dumping plant material, as fragments can establish new plants.
  • Remove all fragments during control to reduce the risk of new infestations.
  • Inspect and clean vehicles, plant and footwear before leaving an infested area, paying attention to tyres, radiators, belly plates, tracks and floor mats.
  • Wash down at a designated bay where runoff is contained and can be monitored for seedlings.
  • Record each washdown so the client has evidence of clean entry and exit.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): National Environmental Alert List. One of 28 weeds named on the National Environmental Alert List as early-stage invaders with serious potential to harm the environment.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: Regional priority in 3 of 11 regions. Regional priority weed in Greater Sydney, Hunter, North Coast. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Not declared. Not declared under the Landscape South Australia Act 2019. Other laws may still apply.
  • Western Australia: Permitted, not declared. Listed as a permitted organism in WA, so it can be brought in, but it is not a declared pest.
  • Tasmania: Not declared. Not a declared weed in Tasmania. Other laws may still apply.
  • Northern Territory: Check NT list. There is no NT weed profile for it. Check the NT declared weeds list for its current status.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • Queensland: Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), administered by Biosecurity Queensland (13 25 23)
  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Sources