No, chopping down a cactus on your own property in South Carolina will not land you in jail. No specific state law prohibits removing cacti from private yards, unlike Arizona’s protections for native species on public or protected lands.
Property Rights
South Carolina treats plants on private property as the owner’s to manage, subject to general nuisance or zoning rules rather than felony penalties for cacti specifically. Local ordinances in areas like Charleston might regulate landscaping or invasive plants, but backyard removal lacks criminal prohibitions.
Protected or Exotic Plants
State wildlife laws protect endangered species or invasive aquatics, but common ornamental cacti (e.g., prickly pear) on your land face no such restrictions unless classified as noxious. Federal quarantines on cactus moths could indirectly apply to transport, not on-site chopping.
