Kauaʻi record · kba_plant_opuntia_cochenillifera
Cochineal Cactus
Opuntia cochenillifera
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About Cochineal Cactus
A shrubby cactus with a distinct lower trunk and flattened, narrow elliptic-to-obovate stem pads. Areoles are usually spineless, occasionally with a few weak gray spines. Upright red flowers have overlapping erect perianth parts and long projecting pink staminal filaments and styles. Fleshy red berries follow. Established wild occurrence warrants observations of occupied cover, reproductive plants and new recruits. These measurements can test persistence and spread. The reviewed accounts do not quantify an island-wide effect on Kauaʻi native vegetation.
Kauaʻi evidence
Generated media is not occurrence evidence. Proposed monitoring endpoints are not reported observations, measured effects or causal findings.
Names and classification
- Scientific name
- Opuntia cochenillifera
- Common names
- cochineal cactus · spineless cactus
- Other names
- Opuntia cochenillifera · cochineal cactus · spineless cactus
- Record type
- Species
Kauaʻi occurrence and status
- Kauaʻi occurrence
- Recorded on Kauaʻi
- Origin
- Introduced
- Conservation status
- Not yet assessed
- Evidence date
- 2026-10-07
- Evidence limits
- Island-level public occurrence only.
Habitat and ecology
- Habitats
- Not yet assessed
- Food and resource needs
- Not yet assessed
- Reproduction
- Not yet assessed
- Shelter
- Not yet assessed
- Growth form
- Shrub or subshrub; 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.
Threats and conservation
- Monitoring
- Occupied area and vegetation cover; Mature plants and new recruits; Reproductive plants and fruiting frequency. Proposed monitoring endpoints are not reported observations, measured effects or causal findings.
- Data gaps
- Current island extent and population trend · Measured local ecological effects
Process and seasonal context
- Seasonal timing
- Not yet assessed
- Seasonal description
- A shrubby cactus with a distinct lower trunk and flattened, narrow elliptic-to-obovate stem pads. Areoles are usually spineless, occasionally with a few weak gray spines. Upright red flowers have overlapping erect perianth parts and long projecting pink staminal filaments and styles. Fleshy red berries follow. Established wild occurrence warrants observations of occupied cover, reproductive plants and new recruits. These measurements can test persistence and spread. The reviewed accounts do not quantify an island-wide effect on Kauaʻi native vegetation.