Cactus fence

A cactus fence is a hedge or fence made of closely spaced cactus plants, sometimes with barbed wire or wood interwoven with the cacti.

A cactus fence in Bonaire.
A cactus fence in Mexico.

Purpose

Such fences are inexpensive to develop in regions where cacti are common, and can provide an extreme deterrent to any but a determined human intruder. Often their primary function is to keep wandering large animals off a private property.

Design

Sometimes, cacti are used as barriers without being formed into a structured fence. Prickly pears (mostly Opuntia stricta) were imported into Australia in the 19th century for use as a natural agricultural fence and to establish a cochineal dye industry, but quickly became a widespread weed.

In the American southwest, ocotillo stems are often set in the ground to form a structure similar to a cactus fence.

Production

The Rancho Lobos Nursery, in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, provides responsibly-pruned ocotillo to homeowners in the Southwestern United States wishing to build cactus fences.[1]

Cactus Products Limited

Cactus Products is a British company specializing in "sharp, but harmless" cactus-like spikes. The cone-shaped polypropylene spikes are screwed onto a large board to be placed on top of a fence. According to the company's website, "The sharp but harmless wall spikes are a discreet boundary protection system that repel cats and birds from your garden or yard. They also act as a safe intruder deterrent, dramatically reducing the chances of you getting unwanted visitors into your garden."[2]

References
  1. Falkenthal, Gayle Lynn (2017-09-14). "Living Walls and Fences Are A Natural Choice". Good Earth Plants. Retrieved 2021-01-24.
  2. "Cactus Cat Deterrent Spikes". Cactus Product. Retrieved 2021-01-24.


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