Download Opuntia ficus-indica (prickly pear)

Opuntia ficus-indica (prickly pear)
Large cactus, up to 6 m, with edible fruits that look like figs.
Scientific name: Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller
Common names: prickly pear, barbary fig, cactus pear, Indian fig, Indian fig prickly pear, Indian
pricklypear, mission fig, smooth prickly pear
Family: Cactaceae
Status in Portugal: invasive species
Risk Assessment score: (in development)
Synonymy: Opuntia maxima Mill., Opuntia gymnocarpa Weber, Opuntia ficus-barbarica A. Berge
Last update: 07/07/2014
How to recognise it
Succulent shrub (cactus) up to 6 m; terminal cladodes with 3050 cm, oblong or oblong-obovate, green in the beginning and
grey at the end.
Leaves: tiny (5 x 2 mm), conical, deciduous; generally evident
aureoles with numerous glochidia; variable spines in density (0
to 6) and size (2-5 to 10-40 mm), thin, straight and whitish.
Flowers: with 7-8 cm diameter, yellow or bright orange; pale
yellow filaments.
Fruits: pseudo-berries with 5-6 x 3-4 cm, oblong-obovate,
deeply umbilicate on the apex, yellow, purple or variegated,
edible.
Flowering: May to June.
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Close-up of an orange flower with pale yellow stamens
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Opuntia ficus-indica (prickly pear)
Similar species
Opuntia ficus-indica is distinguished from other Opuntia species, also invasive in Portugal, by the size and
shape of its cladodes. Opuntia elata Salm-Dyck is very similar but is distinguished from O. ficus-indica by
the presence of unlevelled cylindrical cladodes and much longer spines. Opuntia subulata (Mühlenpf.)
Backeb is very different, being distinguished from O. maxima by the smaller size of the cladodes which
are nearly cylindrical. Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw. distinguished from O. maxima by the smaller size of the
cladodes, the presence of 3-8 robust spines and by the fruits that are less fleshy.
Characteristics that aid invasion
It reproduces by seed producing a high amount of seeds.
It also reproduces vegetatively, by stem fragments (cladodes) that easily detach, root and originate new
plants.
ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION
Native distribution area
Tropical part of America (from Mexico to
Columbia).
Distribution in Portugal
Mainland Portugal (Trás-os-Montes, Beira
Alta, Beira Baixa, Beira Litoral, Estremadura,
Ribatejo, Alto Alentejo, Baixo Alentejo,
Algarve), Azores archipelago (islands of São
Miguel and Santa Maria).
Other places where the species is invasive
Europe (Spain), South Africa, Africa, Australia,
North America (California, Hawaii), western
Asia.
Introduction reasons
For ornamental purposes along hedges; sometimes for its edible fruit .
Preferential invasion environments
It invades arid areas covered by herbaceous or shrubby vegetation, rocky areas and coastal areas. It also
invades disturbed areas, like roadsides, gardens or places where it was planted.
IMPACTS
Impacts on ecosystems
It forms thick, impenetrable mats that hamper the development of native vegetation and major
herbivores.
Economic impacts
Control methodologies are quite expensive.
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Opuntia ficus-indica (prickly pear)
The spines of the leaves are harmful, and they prevent the presence of animals and make control
measures applications difficult.
Natura 2000 network habitats more subject to impacts

Vegetated sea cliffs of the Mediterranean coasts with endemic Limonium spp. (1240);

Atlantic decalcified fixed dunes (Calluno-Ulicetea) (2150);

Coastal dunes with Juniperus spp. (2250);

Thermo-Mediterranean and pre-desert scrub (5330);

West Mediterranean clifftop phryganas (Astragalo-Plantaginetum subulatae) (5410).
CONTROL
Controlling an invasive species demands a well-planned management, which includes the determination
of the invaded area, identifying the causes of invasion, assessing the impacts, defining the intervention
priorities, selecting the adequate control methodologies and their application. Afterwards it is
fundamental to monitor the efficiency of the methodologies and recuperation of the intervened area as
to perform, whenever necessary, the follow-up control.
The control methodologies used for Opuntia ficus-indica include:
Physical control
Manual/mechanical pulling preceded (or not) by the stem cut (preferential methodology). In
compacted substrates, uprooting must be during the rainy season as to facilitate the removal of the root
system. It should be guaranteed that there are no fruits, large roots and cladode fragments left in the
ground, which root easily and originate new invasion foci.
All pulled material should be removed from the location for posterior destruction and burning.
Chemical control
Herbicide application on the stems. Herbicide injection (active substance: glyphosate) in the stems. It
should be done before fruit maturation, considering that the seeds of unripe fruits are already viable.
Biological control
In several countries different biological control agents are used that have shown to be efficient, namely:
Cactoblastis cactorum (Bergroth) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) e Metamasius spinolae (Coleoptera:
Curculionidae), that feed in the interior of the cladodes; Dactylopius opuntiae (Cockerell) (Hemiptera:
Dactylopiidae) a cochineal that sucks the sap.
None of these agents has yet been tested in Portugal as to verify its harmlessness to native species, so its
use is not yet an option in our country.
For additional information, visit the webpage www.invasoras.pt and/or contact us at [email protected].
REFERENCES
Agricultural Research Council – Plant Protection Research Institute – Weeds Research (2014) Management of invasive alien
plants: A list of biocontrol agents released against invasive alien plants in South Africa. Available: http://www.arc.agric.za/arcppri/Documents/WebAgentsreleased.pdf [Retrieved 03/03/2014].
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Opuntia ficus-indica (prickly pear)
CABI (2012) Opuntia ficus-indica. In: Invasive Species Compendium. CAB International, Wallingford, UK. Available:
www.cabi.org/isc [Retrieved 10/11/2012].
Dana ED, Sanz-Elorza M, Vivas S, Sobrino E (2005) Especies vegetales invasoras en Andalucía. Consejería de Medio Ambiente,
Junta de Andalucía, Sevilla, 233pp.
Gallo AG, Delgado OR, Land EO, Silva L (2008) Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. In: Silva L, Land EO, Luengo JLR (eds) Flora e fauna
terrestre invasora na Macaronésia. Top 100 nos Açores, Madeira e Canárias. Arena, Ponta Delgada, pp. 229-232.
Hoffmann JH, Moran VC, Zimmermann HG (1999) Integrated management of Opuntia stricta (Haworth) Haworth (Cactaceae)
in South Africa: an enhanced role for two, renowned, insect agents. African Entomology. Memoir n°1: 15-20.
Marchante E, Freitas H, Marchante H (2008) Guia prático para a identificação de plantas invasoras de Portugal Continental.
Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, 183pp.
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