Chopping down a cactus in your Minnesota yard is generally legal if it’s not a protected native species on public land or a designated rare plant site. Unlike Arizona, where native cacti like saguaro are safeguarded by state law (A.R.S. § 3-901 et seq.) as felonies due to their cultural and ecological value, Minnesota lacks broad prohibitions on common yard cacti.​
Native Cacti Protections
Minnesota hosts three native species—ball cactus (Coryphantha vivipara), brittle prickly pear (Opuntia fragilis), and western prickly pear (Opuntia macracantha)—primarily in western prairies.​
Ball cactus, the rarest, receives state protection under the Rare Species Guide; removal or destruction on state lands or without permits risks fines via DNR enforcement (Minn. Stat. § 97A.501).​
Private property owners face no automatic felony for non-native or nursery-bought cacti, but translocation efforts (e.g., 2021 LCCMR grants) highlight conservation for wild populations.​
Yard and Local Rules
Homeowners can prune or remove non-native cacti (e.g., ornamental prickly pears) without issue, treating them as landscaping plants.​
Local zoning or HOA deed restrictions may limit vegetation removal near wetlands or as “nuisances,” requiring city permits in places like Minneapolis.​
Noxious weed laws (Minn. Stat. §§ 18.75-18.91) target invasives but exclude cacti; always verify via DNR for natives.​
