Osage Orange

Maclura pomifera

Osage orange is well known for its strong, flexible and durable wood. It tolerates poor soils, drought, heat, cold, and wind. Female trees need a male tree pollinator in order to produce its unique green baseball-sized fruit, which has edible seeds tasting similar to sunflower seeds! Research is currently being done on the antioxidant and fungicidal properties of the fruit. A yellow dye is obtained from the bark of the root and woody stem of the plant.

Water: Dry to Moderate

Hardiness: Frost Hardy

Habit: Small deciduous tree or large shrub, typically growing to 30 to 50' tall

Light: Full Sun to Light Shade

Soil: Prefers uniformly moist soils, but tolerates both dry and wet conditions

Origin: Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma

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Osage Orange