Nopalea cochenillifera (L.) Salm-Dyck, Cactaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 7 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Cactus cochenillifer L.; Opuntia cochenillifera (L.) Mill.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chamorro: lengua-de-vaca

English: cochineal cactus, cochineal nopal cactus, cochineal-plant

French: cochenillier, raquette espagnole

Palauan: esbocheb

Spanish: nopal chamacuero, nopal de la cochinilla, tunita

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Shrubs or trees up to 4 m tall, with a distinct trunk; joints narrowly elliptic to narrowly obovate, 10-25 cm long, (5-) 7-12 cm wide.  Areoles spineless or rarely with 1-3 weak grayish spines ca. 1 cm long.  Flowers 4-6 cm long, 1.5-2 cm in diameter; outer perianth parts red, sometimes with a green median stripe, erect, 5-10 mm long, 4-8 mm wide, inner perianth parts red, erect, imbricate, 10-20 mm long, 8-12 mm wide; staminal filaments pink, long-exserted, 25-40 mm long; style pink, long-exserted, 25-40 mm long; stigma lobes 6-8.  Berries red, fleshy, 2.5-4 cm long, 2.5-3 cm in diameter"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 419).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "escaped at low elevations"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 419).

Propagation:  Seed. Also spread through the dumping of garden waste as pieces of the plant readily take root.

Native range:  "Native range unknown, although most likely southern Mexico or northern Central America, cultivated since ancient times as a host for cochineal insects that provide cochineal dye, now widely grown as an ornamental in warm parts of the world"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 419).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Fiji Fiji Islands	Ovalau Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (p. 272) Voucher cited DA 3002
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) As Opuntia cochenillifera (C. Linnaeus) P. Miller Naturalisée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: L. M. Dunn 375 (PAP) Naturalizing
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Pou (Huapu, Uapou, Uapu) Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Pou (Huapu, Uapou, Uapu) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Voucher cited: K.R. Wood 10285 (PAP)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) As Opuntia cochenillifera (C. Linnaeus) P. Miller Naturalisée
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Makatea (Ma‘atea) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) As Opuntia cochenillifera (C. Linnaeus) P. Miller Naturalisée
French Polynesia Tuamotu Archipelago	Manihi Atoll		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1967) (voucher ID: BISH 12259) Taxon name on voucher: Opuntia cochenillifera
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rapa Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) As Opuntia cochenillifera (C. Linnaeus) P. Miller Naturalisée
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) As Opuntia cochenillifera (C. Linnaeus) P. Miller Naturalisée
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 431) A few plants grown in gardens.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 193)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaho‘olawe Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1939) (voucher ID: BISH 12034) Taxon name on voucher: Opuntia cochenillifera
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 419)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2004) (p. 10) West Maui. Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H10201 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 419)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 193)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Sand Island		Bishop Museum (U.S.A. Hawaii. Honolulu.) (1999) (voucher ID: BISH 659763) Taxon name on voucher: Opuntia cochenillifera

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	probably introduced invasive cultivated	Standley, Paul C./Williams, Louis Otho (1962) (pp. 24(7/2)213-214) Probably not native in Guatemala, but much planted at low and middle elevations; thoroughly naturalized in many places at middle elevations, up to 1,500 meters or even higher, perhaps the relics of former commercial plantations; often planted for hedges.
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	probably native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 65) As Opuntia cochenillifer (L.) Mill.

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Control:  See Global Invasive Species Database for management information.