Classification: KingdomPlantaePlants SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular Plants SuperdivisionSpermatophytaSeed Plants DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering Plants ClassMagnoliopsidaDicotyledons SubclassHamamelididae OrderUrticales FamilyMoraceaeMulberry Family GenusMaclura Nutt.Maclura SpeciesMaclura Pomifera (Raf.) Schneid Osage Orange

 Osage Orange trees grow to be medium-sized. They have stiff and spiny branches with a short trunk. The tree crowns out in an irregular shape at the top. (2) You can often recognize these trees by looking for glossy, lance- shaped leaves or stout thorns. The easiest way to differentiate between a male and a female Osage Orange tree is whether or not they bear fruit. Only female trees will have fruit. (3)(2) (3) Figur e(2)

 Osage Orange trees have an orange-brown bark. The bark has many ridges with a scaly texture. (2) (2) Figur e(4)

 Twigs of this tree are slender and contain a milky sap. They start out green but soon change to an orange-brown coloring. Each twig has a thorn located at each leaf scar. (2)(2) Figure( 2)

 Osage Orange leaves are simple and alternate. They are pinnately veined with a present margin and are usually anywhere from two to five inches long. (2) But they won’t exceed eight inches. These leaves have a tapered tip. (3)(2) (3) Figure( 2) Figure(3 )

 The flower of an Osage Orange tree are dioecious. Flowers can appear anywhere between late spring and early summer. Females bear dense and round clusters, while the male bear in subglobose racemes. (2) (2) Male (Top) Female (Bottom) Figure(5 )

 Osage Orange fruit bear a sticky, white juice within them. The diameter of these fruits can reach six inches. They are very dense and fairly large. (3) They mature in the early fall and have an outer surface that resembles “brain”. They also have a distinctive citrus smell to them. (2) (3) (2) Figure(2 ) Figure( 5)

 These trees are a common sight along the Great Plains area. They are found primarily in the Red River Valley area, though. (3) These trees are native in North America. (2)(3) (2) Figure(1)

 These trees were often planted as “living fences” or hedges. They are also used as a source of very strong fence posts now. An Osage Orange is a huge component of windbreaks and shelterbelts. (3) The wood is also used when making furniture, treenails and archery bows. They also provide for a safe haven for wildlife. (6)(3) (6)

1. USDA Plant Database. Plants Profile. Maclura pomifera (Raf.) C.K. Schneid. Osage Orange. June 23, Virginia Tech. Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation. Osage Orange. Moraceae Maclura pomifera (Raf.) C.K. Schneid. June 23, Osage Orange. June 23, Osage Orange Bark Image. June 23, Maclura Pomifera. June 23, Insects, Spiders, Mice & More. University of Nebraska Lincoln. Facts and Myths of Hedge Apples. June 23,

1. USDA Plant Database. Plants Profile. Maclura pomifera (Raf.) C.K. Schneid. Osage Orange. June 23, Virginia Tech. Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation. Osage Orange. Moraceae Maclura pomifera (Raf.) C.K. Schneid. June 23, Osage Orange. June 23, Osage Orange Bark Image. June 23, Maclura Pomifera. June 23,