Plants of South Eastern New South Wales
Opuntia stricta
Common name
Common prickly pear, Smooth pest pear
Family
Cactaceae
Where found
Woodland, grassy areas, disturbed sites, gardens, roadsides, along streams, and coastal environs. Widespread, mainly Canberra and Queanbeayn, and north of Berry.
Notes
Introduced shrub-like perennial herb to 2 m tall. Fruit fleshy. Stem segments and fruit fleshy. Stem segments, bases of the flowers, and fruit have hooked bristles that irritate the skin, and the stem segments occasionally have spines 1-5 cm long as well. Stem segments otherwise hairless, flattened. Leaves shed early, spirally arranged, 0.2-0.6 cm long, cylindrical or cone shaped. Flowers 50-80 mm in diameter, with many yellow 'petals', single. Fruit purple, edible if the bristles are removed.
A Weed of National Significance. General Biosecurity Duty with additional restrictions all NSW. Pest plant ACT. Noxious weed Vic.
PlantNET description: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Opuntia~stricta (accessed 3 April 2021)
The PlantNET description includes varieties. Opuntia stricta var. stricta is now Opuntia stricta, and Opuntia stricta var. dillenii is now Opuntia dillenii (accessed 3 April 2021)
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