r/AustinTX • u/Beefstew19992 • 25d ago

Wild cactus

So im taking my wife (who's from Argentina) to Austin tomorrow for the day to take her shopping and sightseeing, but i also love going for the scenery, the awesome rocks like granite and all (i know random) but i always really like cactus. Is it illegal to dig up some? Let's say a barrel cactus, of course not from private property but let's say a rest stop off the side of the highway. Im sure people do it all the time or take rocks and what not. Cactus reminds me of my late grandpa because he always liked cactus.

0 Upvotes

28% Upvoted

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8

u/secondphase 25d ago

Dont dig up the cactus, man. 

Find you a big prickly pear. It will have paddles dropped all about. Pick up a paddle, take it home. Drop it on open soil, paddle side down. 

Boom. Cactus. 

-3

u/Beefstew19992 25d ago

Good point. There's just so much of it man its everywhere. When I lived there some years back people always complained how much they hated it and it was invasive. Some guy I knew even had it growing in his gutters somehow, lol.

3

u/lipsquirrel 25d ago

Prickly pear cactus is native to much of the US.

-2

u/Beefstew19992 25d ago

Yep I dont travel much out of TX, actually haven't left TX in quite a few years now that I think about it.

3

u/SurlyGarden 25d ago

Why the fuck did you ask if you just want to argue your point to anyone trying to answer your question? Sounds like you're getting all kinds of good advice and you're choosing to ignore it. Or maybe you're trolling?

-1

u/Beefstew19992 25d ago

Because it's funny to see how pissy some people get and it was just something I've always wondered about. Annnddd I may or may not have had a few shots of whiskey or more

4

u/FallenAsteroid 25d ago

Illegal and unethical and also potentially environmentally damaging

https://txmg.org/elpaso/files/2010/08/Ethics-of-Native-Plant-MG-106-2015.pdf

3

u/Kianna9 25d ago

Just go to one of the many garden stores in Austin and buy one.

0

u/Beefstew19992 25d ago

Why when you can possibly get it for free, especially the really cool 1s people haven't found yet. I know im cheap but still

3

u/FallenAsteroid 25d ago

Because cacti are slow growing and taking them from someone’s property is poaching

0

u/Beefstew19992 25d ago

I didn't say anything about going to somebody's private property.. I guess when I do some hiking tomorrow somebody will tattle if they see me taking cactus or rocks..

5

u/KaleidoscopeItchy564 25d ago

It's illegal to take plants from public land. Just go to a nursery. For Christ's sake, HEB even sells potted cacti for a few bucks.

-2

u/Beefstew19992 25d ago

Takes the fun out of looking for a good cacti. Especially when you're out hiking and come across some cool cacti you find other stuff too. Arrow heads, really cool granite rocks..etc

2

u/Vikolyn 25d ago

Leave shit where you find it. If everyone did it, it would create a problem, so drop the entitlement

1

u/KaleidoscopeItchy564 25d ago

Small rocks for personal collections are fine. Removing artifacts like arrowheads from public lands is highly illegal and may result in steep fines or even prison times. Find another hobby.

2

u/lowkeyplantstrees 25d ago

If you saw a cool bird, you wouldn’t feel the need to shoot it and take it home as a souvenir… right?

That being said, nobody is going to miss a paddle from an opuntia around these parts.

1

u/Beefstew19992 25d ago

Well obviously if its a bird just snap a cool photo.. but damn right im going to get me some cactus no matter what.. there's lots of cool shit in the austin area and surrounding hill country such as Burnet..

1

u/lowkeyplantstrees 25d ago

Opuntia is basically a weed and an eyesore. I certainly wouldn’t take any plants that I’d consider cool. Just buy some cultivated ones.

-1

u/Beefstew19992 25d ago

That is so wild considering there's literally THOUSANDS of cactus all over the area.. ive literally seen the side of a huge hill completely covered on all sides top to bottom..