Due to concerns about the over-collection of cacti (plural for cactus plants) in their native habitats, the cactus family (Cactaceae), including all U.S. native cacti, was included in Appendix II of CITES in 1975. Cacti are well adapted to dry arid conditions, and are primarily found in North, Central, and South America. These hardy plants provide food and shelter to many animals, birds and reptiles. Some species are also used by humans as sources of food—especially the fruits—dyes, herbal remedies, and many are highly desirable as landscape and indoor plants. Cacti vary widely in size and shape, from short round plants to tall narrow plants, and not all cacti have spines, but most have brightly colored flowers.

While the conservation of cacti in their native habitats is still the primary concern, growing cacti is big business. Cacti are commercially grown in nurseries throughout the world, including the United States, for domestic and international trade. In fact, cacti are the most traded plants listed under CITES, with annual trade over 10 million plants. Nursery grown cacti reduce collection pressure on wild populations. Recognizing the benefits of nursery-grown plants over wild-collected plants, there are several exemptions under CITES for trade in artificially propagated plants of Appendix-II cacti. In addition, hybrids and cultivars of certain Appendix-II cacti are exempt from CITES regulations.

Cacti and CoP15

At the 15th Conference of the Parties (CoP15), there are no proposals to transfer cactus species from Appendix II to Appendix I or from Appendix I to Appendix II.

There is one proposal, submitted jointly by the United States and Mexico which would delete the current plant listing annotations #1 and #4 and replace them both with one new annotation. If adopted the annotation would exempt seeds from cactus species, except the export of seeds of Cactaceae species exported from Mexico; exempt stems, flowers, part,s and derivatives of naturalized or artificially propagated plants of the cactus genera Opuntia subgenus Opuntia and Selenicereus; and exempt artificially propagated specimens of certain hybrids and/or cultivars from the provisions of the Convention:

• Cactaceae spp. and all taxa with annotation #1 http://www.cites.org/eng/cop/15/prop/E-15-Prop-25.pdf

A related proposal reviews the current annotations and exemptions for cacti (and other) plants:

• Cactaceae and Orchidaceae: review of annotations http://www.cites.org/eng/cop/15/doc/E15-64.pdf