The forage cactus responds well to cultural treatments, hand-weeding and weed cutting, however these costs are high. Thus, this research aimed to evaluate the botanical composition and productive behavior of forage cactus (Nopalea cochenillifera) var. Miúda after application of different weed control methods. The experiment was carried out at the Experimental Station of IPA in Caruaru – Pernambuco - Brazil, between april/2018 and november/2020. The design was a randomized block design with three replications. The treatments were: 1. without control, 2. hand-weeding, 3. weed cutting, 4. 2,4-D, DIMETHYLAMINE SALT, 5. GLYPHOSATE + DIURON, 6. GLYPHOSATE + TEBUTHIURON, 7. HEXAZINONE + DIURON, 8. MSMA, 9. OXIFLUORPHEM, 10. CHIZALOPOPE-P-ETHYL, 11. FLUASIFOPE-P- BUTYL, 12. TEBUTHIURON, 13. GLYPHOSATE + DIURON + TEBUTHIURON, applied during the rainy season of 2018 and 2019. Three months after application of the treatments, botanical composition and area of bare soil (BS) were determined, the latter being obtained by visual observations and attribution of values from 0 to 100%. In November/2020, survival (%) and dry matter production (DMP) were determined. ‘Malva branca’ (Ageratum conyzoides); ‘Juá de capote’ (Nicandra physalodes); ‘Vassourinha’ (Scoparia dulcis); ‘Rabo de raposa’ (Conyza bonariensis); ‘Bredo’ (Amaranthus viridis); ‘Espinho de cigano’ (Acanthospermum hispidum); ‘Apaga fogo’ (Alternanthera tenella); ‘Unha de gato’ (Senegalia tenuifolia); ‘Frejorge’ (Cordia goeldiana) were the main non-controllable botanical components. Treatments 6, 12 and 13 were more efficient (P < 0.05) in weed control due to the high BS (90 to 99.67%). The lowest survival (33%) was registered in treatment 8. Treatments 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12 and 13 with respective productions of 21.75; 26.72; 31.68; 26.97; 25.17; 27.73 and 23.97 t DM.ha-1 did not differ (P > 0.05) from each other. There is a correlation of 0.88 between DMP and BS. There is no herbicide registration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA) for forage cactus.