Common Name: Eve's Needle

General Information

Austrocylindropuntia subulata is a spiny, evergreen, succulent, much-branched tree-like plant growing up to 4 metres tall with elongated branches up to 50 cm long and 4-5 cm in diameter[, ]
The plant is commonly cultivated in the Andes as a living fence in order to mark boundaries and as a barrier to grazing animals. It is also widely grown as an ornamental[].
Austrocylindropuntia subulata has a wide distribution, is present in several protected areas and is not exposed to any major threat. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2020)[].

Known Hazards

The plant has numerous minutely barbed glochids - these are barbed spines that are usually small to minute and are very sharp and brittle. The glochids are very easily dislodged when the plant is touched and can penetrate the skin where, because of their barbs, they become stuck and are very difficult to see and remove. They can cause considerable irritation and discomfort[, ].

Botanical References

Range

S. America - probably originally native to Peru, but widely grown from Argentina to Colombia

Habitat

Dry rangelands, also along riversides and in disturbed areas; at elevations from 2,000 - 3,700 metres[, ].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Conservation Status	Least Concern
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	3.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Austrocylindropuntia subulata is a plant of high elevations in the tropics, where it can be found at elevations up to 3,900 metres[]. It is native to semi-arid areas with up to 1,200mm annual rainfall, and in areas having cool and dry winters and mild and somewhat rainy summers. It is also very adaptable, growing at sea level where introduced, and in a wide variety of climates, where it also appears to be able to tolerate light frost[].

Austrocylindropuntia subulata is regarded as invasive in South Africa, East Africa, Australia and more recently in Europe. It can form dense impenetrable patches in invaded roadsides, disturbed land, wastelands, drainage ditches, grasslands, savannah, riversides and sandy stream beds, where it suppresses other vegetation and the long spines can cause harm to people and animals. As a popular cultivated ornamental, the risk of further introduction and subsequent escape from cultivation and spread is high, as it spreads easily from broken plant fragments[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant has medicinal uses[]. No more details.

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is wdely grown in the Andes as a living fence to mark out boundaries and as barriers to keep out grazing animals[].. It is often grown atop adobe walls[].

Other Uses

The spines can be used as sewing needles[].

Propagation

Seed -
Cuttings

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