Osage Orange
Maclura pomifera
Avg. Rating:
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Osage Orange
Details:
Plant Facts Mature Height | 20 - 40 feet | Mature Spread | 20 - 40 feet | Soil Type | Widely Adaptable | Moisture | Widely Adaptable | Mature Form | Round Crown, Irregular | Growth Rate | Rapid | Sun Exposure | Full Sun | Flower Color | Yellow, Green | Fall Color | Yellow | Foliage Color | Green | | 4-9 |
The Osage Orange tree, Maclura pomifera, has bright green summer leaves with yellow fall color. The Osage Orange bears an inedible fruit resembling a woody orange. It is sometmes called the Hedge Apple tree and Mock Orange and Bodark tree. Native to the midwestern and southeastern United States, this species is also known as the hedge apple because it was planted in thicket-like hedge rows before the advent of barbed wire fences. The fruit is neither an orange nor an apple, although it approaches the size of those fruits. In fact, the bumpy surface of the fruit is due to the numerous, tightly-packed ovaries of the female flowers. The wood of osage orange was highly prized by the Osage Indians of Arkansas and Missouri for bows. In fact, osage orange trees are stronger than oak (Quercus) and as tough as hickory (Carya), and is considered by archers to be one of the finest native North American woods for bows. In Arkansas, in the early 19th century, a good osage bow was worth a horse and a blanket. A yellow-orange dye is also extracted from the wood and is used as a substitute for fustic and aniline dyes in arts and industry.
Reviews:
As a Specimen Tree???, 4/18/2007 3:11:58 PM
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Reviewer: Joey
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In this area, osage orange trees were planted 125 years ago as hedgerows/fences. The birds spread the seeds so that they now grow wild in pastures and can be quite a nuisance, unless one has horses or goats which like to eat off the seedlings. The wood is used mainly as fence posts or burning in wood stoves, producing a hot fire with minimal ash. (It throws sparks and is not recommend in open fireplaces.) The wood looks pretty in woodworking projects, but is difficult to work with because it is extremely hard and cracks easily if not dried properly. The overview fails to mention that the young branches have inch long thorns, although some varieties have been bred without thorns. It also tends to sucker out with multiple stems. The fruit is said to repel insects (crickets and roaches), but I have not had success with it. It can be a mess to clean up, especially if one has this tree in a lawn area. Local farmers have also reported cows choking on the fruit when swallowed whole, although that is rare. This tree withstands the winds and ice storms experienced in the plains states, but I would hesitate to plant one in my front yard.
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Not the best choice for the front yard, 4/27/2007 3:53:36 PM
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Reviewer: aorian
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Osage Orange are striking trees, with easily identifiable bark and leaves. They are best used for borders, hedgerows or woodlots for firewood (the Osage Orange produce the most BTU per cord of firewood). They are thorny and make good hedges to keep people and larger animals - deer, cattle, horses, ect. when they are planted close together - 6 to 10 feet apart. Due to the Softball to large Grapfruit size fruit that are produced, they are very messy if planted in a yard. Some trees only produce a few fruit and other trees produce large numbers of fruit, it is just the luck of the draw. When the tree get really big (I know of one that is 50 feet tall and about 2 feet in diameter), it has a very interesting bark pattern on the trunk. Ive never heard of cattle choking on the fruit, but I guess it could happen. And this tree is not to be confused with mockorange trees which dont have any fruit.
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The Incredible-unedible Orange, 11/2/2007 10:50:39 PM
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Reviewer: Angel
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While taking a ride in the near by country side town of Elma, New York, I pulled over when I seen these grapefruit size green balls on a lawn.I couldn"t help but notice the "brain-like surface. I asked my r who was with me if he ever seen any thing like it. He said No and we continued to drive. This was the first any only time I was down this particular street and didn"t notice any others. Well ,from that moment on, I made a plan that I would inquire, what this green thing was. Originally, we thought it might be some sort of "Nut". I stopped to two different greenhouses and neither place could give me any information. It was then that Idecided to call the Botanical Gardens and spoke with a Hulticulturist and made an appointment to see him.. When I walked in a day later, upon meeting him, he immediately said that a O sage orange and told me it was native to the midwest. That was earlier today and I finally got a name for my "new find" and checked it out on the internent. Accordingly, it does say that it will grow in our zone(zip code 14227)I plan to try and root the branch that I took off the tree(no thorns)and/or break the fruit open and plant some seeds... I am so excited because I"ve never seen anything like this before... Wish me luck guys... I"ve been known to have a green thumb... I"ve got over 40 plants in my Beauty Salon in Buffalo, New York!!!Angel
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Hedge Trees, 2/13/2009 3:11:24 AM
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Reviewer: dal2117
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I lived in the country for years with lots on hedge trees on the property and in the area. Bugs crawled all over the hedge apples. They did not keep away bugs at all. They are very fast growing, sturdy trees. I have witnessed how well they withstand ice storms, tornadoes, flash floods, weedwackers, digging dogs, cattle, tractors, etc., year after year. They seem to do well in drought and do well in clay soil. Osage Orange (hedge trees) are my favorite trees.
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