bunny ears
Biosecurity Queensland must be notified within 24 hours Ph. 13 25 23
Biosecurity Queensland Must attend site before any control measure is administered, advise will be provided to the land holder at this time
Bunny ears forms a dense shrub 40–60 cm tall, occasionally more, composed of pad-like stems 6–15 cm long and 4–12 cm broad. There is no central stem and pads always grow in pairs giving the appearance of bunny ears.
Found all over Queensland, including Willows Gemfields, Emerald, Springsure, Mackay, Sarina, Gold Coast and Brisbane.
Prefers open habitats in arid and semi-arid rangeland. It has now been detected across Queensland, but likely to exist in gardens/rockeries elsewhere. Potential to become abundant and widespread in Queensland.
Bunny ears forms a dense shrub 40–60 cm tall, occasionally more, composed of pad-like stems 6–15 cm long and 4–12 cm broad. There is no central stem and pads always grow in pairs giving the appearance of bunny ears
Biosecurity Queensland Must attend site before any control measure is administered, advise will be provided to the land holder at this time.
It has no spines, but instead has numerous white or yellow glochids (hair-like prickles), 2–3 mm long in dense clusters; these detach very easily on being touched, and can cause considerable skin irritation, so the plants must be treated with caution.
Flowers are yellow 3 cm wide. Fruits are fleshy globular shape to 3 cm long and red-purple in colour.
The main method of spread is from broken segments through people unknowingly giving potted plants away, and being transported on animals, people, vehicles and water.
Opuntia rufida is a similar cactus with red glochids instead of white or yellow. For practical purposes, this cactus would be considered the same as Opuntia microdasys. A closely related species, prickly pear (Opuntia stricta)
