Harrisia Cactus outbreak

Harrisia fruit.jpg

Updated Monday, 12 May 2025

Narrabri Shire Biosecurity Officers would like to notify residents that Harrisia Cactus (Harrisia Martinii) has been found on a property along Killarney Gap Road. The Harrisia Cactus is not native to Australia and is classed as an invasive plant. Narrabri Shire is within the exclusion zone where the plant must be eradicated from the land. 

This aggressive plant forms dense, spiky thickets that: 

  •  Outcompete pasture grasses 
  •  Block livestock movement & access to water 
  •  Harm pets, wildlife & working dogs with sharp spines 
  •  Cause mustering issues & reduce grazing productivity
  •  Spreads fast via thousands of seeds & underground tubers 

How to identify: Harrisia is generally low growing, jointed and the runners spread out in all directions like an octopus tentacles. The flowers are white and fruit is bright red.

How to control: 

  • Remember to wear protective clothing, including gloves, boots and eyewear to stop injuries from spines.
  • Use tools to remove plants and ensure all of the tubers are dug out.
  • To dispose cacti, bury them at 1 m deep or burn in a hot fire. 
  • You can also apply a herbicide to actively growing plants. Ensure all parts of the plant are treated

For more information on how you can identify, control and remove this plant: 

Visit NSW WeedWise or call Narrabri Shire Council's Biosecurity Officers on (02) 6799 6866

 

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