Valais people are accustomed to seeing their mountain slopes covered in edelweiss flowers in the summer and with snow in the winter. Cacti, however, are invasive plants that are quickly colonizing the slopes as global warming worsens.
Prickly pear cacti, which normally appear in hot, dry climates such as the Grand Canyon, are invading the Swiss Alps in a new climate change warning "A lover of dry and hot climates, this invasive and non-native plant is not welcome," the municipality.