Bowwood Maclura pomifera

Osage-orange is a deciduous tree in the Moraceae (mulberry family) native to the central southern U.S.A.  It has naturalized in many areas of the eastern United States.  The genus name Maclura comes from American geologist William Maclura (1763-1840) and the species name pomiferaI means apple-bearing referring to the large inedible round fruits. The bark is somewhat orange in color and the fruits resemble oranges hence the common name.  

Plant in areas in full sun with cool temperatures and ideally 40 to 45 inches of rain each year or supplemental irrigation. When located on an ideal site Osage-orange can reach heights of 70 feet but is more typically 25 to 60 feet tall.  It tolerates a wide range of soil types including poor, wet, or dry, and a range of pH conditions except highly acidic.  Tolerant to wind and heat.   In shade, its appearance will suffer.

The tree has a short trunk with a low, rounded, irregular crown, and stiff, spines that emerge from leaf axils.  Commonly known for its large green fruits that are roughly the size of a baseball, they ripen in September through October.  The fruits are enjoyed by squirrels and other small mammals that tear them apart searching for the seeds buried deep inside.  The latex sap found inside this plant keeps most herbivores like deer and rabbits away.

Because of its nasty spines and dense growth habit, it makes an impressive security plant and was once used extensively as a hedgerow or living fence to define property lines until the introduction of barbed wire.   It was also planted extensively in the 1930's in an effort to prevent soil erosion by the Works Progress Administration (WPA).  It is not recommended except as a novelty, and in poor, infertile sites.   There are some cultivars that are male and thornless.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems.  Flowers and fruits of female plants can be messy and have unpleasant odors if not cleaned up immediately.