Brush - Range & Pasture - Tasajillo Cactus

BES-TEX BRUSH ID GUIDE

Tasajillo Cactus

Tasajillo, Turkey Pear, Christmas Cholla

Cylindropuntia leptocaulis (syn. Opuntia leptocaulis)

Perennial Cactus

Plant Type

Slender jointed cactus; cactus family (Cactaceae)

Life Cycle

Perennial; native

Leaf Habit

Evergreen stems (true leaves tiny and short-lived)

Typical Height

Usually less than 5 ft (Texas A&M)

Photo Gallery

Tasajillo cactus shrub of thin jointed stems dotted with red fruit — **Whole Plant** Photo: John J. Mosesso, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Tasajillo pencil-thin stems with long spines and bright red fruit — **Red Fruit** Photo: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How to Identify It

Quick ID

Stems

Round, jointed stems; most segments 1 inch or less long
General brushy look (Texas A&M)

Spines

White, slender spines 0.5 to 2 inches long (Texas A&M)

Flowers

Small, greenish, inconspicuous
Bloom April to August (Texas A&M)

Fruit

Red, fleshy, globe-shaped, under 1 inch
Birds spread the seed, so it piles up along fence lines and under trees (Texas A&M)

Look-Alikes

Pricklypear

Pricklypear has flat pads; tasajillo has thin round stems (Texas A&M)

Counter script: "If it is a bushy cactus with pencil-thin jointed stems, long white spines, and small red fruit, it is most likely tasajillo."

Where It Grows

Texas

Grows in all 10 Texas ecoregions (Texas A&M)
Densest along fence lines and under trees

Oklahoma

Native range includes Oklahoma (Texas A&M); local detail [PLACEHOLDER]

New Mexico

Native range includes New Mexico (Texas A&M); local detail [PLACEHOLDER]

Sites and soils: Most abundant on sandy loam and clay loam soils, often with honey mesquite; mesas, valleys, and flats from 1,000 to 5,000 ft (Texas A&M).

Best Time to Control

Best treatment timing for tasajillo: [PLACEHOLDER]. The Surmount label lists cactus broadcast timing in spring or early summer. Follow the label.

Tasajillo is a perennial. No pre-emergent herbicide controls tasajillo.

Treatment Methods

Foliar Spray

Example product: Surmount (Corteva); tasajillo is listed on the label
Mix: follow the label

Individual Plant vs. Broadcast

Density guidance for this plant: [PLACEHOLDER]
Follow the label for broadcast use

Product names are examples only. Always read and follow the product label. For product selection and help, contact BES-TEX at 325.653.1300.

Sources: Surmount label, EPA Reg. No. 62719-480 (tasajillo listed); Texas A&M Plants of Texas Rangelands.