Tiger pear
Opuntia aurantiaca
family
Cactaceae
origin
Exotic
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
Tiger pear, Jointed cactus, Jointed prickly pear, Tiger-pear.
A spreading fleshy plant usually forming thickets less than 40 cm tall. Its dark green to purplish-coloured stems consist of a series of almost cylindrical segments. These stem segments (3.5-30 cm long and 1-5 cm thick) are covered in groups of grey or brownish coloured barbed spines (1-5 cm long). Its showy lemon or bright yellow flowers (25-60 mm across) have numerous 'petals'. Its fleshy and spiny fruit (20-30 mm long) turn red with purplish mottling as they mature
Impact
Impact
Tiger pear (Opuntia aurantiaca) is regarded as an environmental weed in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. This species was recently also listed as priority environmental weed in two Natural Resource Management regions.
Location
Location
Characteristics
Characteristics
Similar Species
Similar Species
Tiger pear (Opuntia aurantiaca) is regarded as an environmental weed in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. This species was recently also listed as priority environmental weed in two Natural Resource Management regions.
