Harrisia cactus
Harrisia martinii, H. tortuosa and H. pomanensis syn. Cereus pomanensis
family
Cactaceae
origin
Native to southern South America (i.e. Argentina and possibly also Paraguay).
declaration
Category 3 Restricted Matter (Biosecurity Act 2014)
Must not be distributed or disposed. This means it must not be released into the environment unless the distribution or disposal is authorised in a regulation or under a permit.
Common names
moon cactus,, moonlight cactus, snake cactus.
A long-lived fleshy plant that clambers over the ground or scrambles over other plants. Its stems are divided into elongated, almost cylindrical, segments. It does not have any obvious leaves, but has spines arranged in small groups on ridges along the stems. Its large white or pinkish flowers (15-20 cm long) have numerous 'petals' and open at night its fleshy fruit (2-6 cm across) are bright red in colour and are often covered in groups of spines.
Impact
Impact
Harrisia cactus (Harrisia martinii) is regarded as an environmental weed in Queensland and as a potential environmental in New South Wales. It is ranked among the top 200 most invasive species in south-eastern Queensland and is listed as a priority environmental weed in one Natural Resource Management region.This species is particularly troublesome in brigalow woodlands and rangelands in the inland regions of Queensland, but also invades eucalypt woodlands and cypress pine forests. It is shade tolerant and prefers to grow in the sheltered areas underneath trees and shrubs. Before a relatively successful biological control programme, harrisia cactus (Harrisia martinii) formed impenetrable thickets covering many hectares. It is now less aggressive, but is still considered to pose a significant threat to rangeland biodiversity in eastern Australia.
Location
Location
Characteristics
Characteristics
Similar Species
Similar Species
Harrisia cactus (Harrisia martinii) is regarded as an environmental weed in Queensland and as a potential environmental in New South Wales. It is ranked among the top 200 most invasive species in south-eastern Queensland and is listed as a priority environmental weed in one Natural Resource Management region.This species is particularly troublesome in brigalow woodlands and rangelands in the inland regions of Queensland, but also invades eucalypt woodlands and cypress pine forests. It is shade tolerant and prefers to grow in the sheltered areas underneath trees and shrubs. Before a relatively successful biological control programme, harrisia cactus (Harrisia martinii) formed impenetrable thickets covering many hectares. It is now less aggressive, but is still considered to pose a significant threat to rangeland biodiversity in eastern Australia.
