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Native Plant Database

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Maclura pomifera (Osage orange)
Cox, Paul

Maclura pomifera (Raf.) Schneid.

Osage orange, Bois d’ arc, Bodark, Horse apple, Hedge apple

Moraceae (Mulberry Family)

USDA Symbol: MAPO

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Medium-sized, thorny tree with short, often crooked trunk; broad, rounded or irregular crown of spreading branches; single, straight, stout thorns at base of some leaves; and milky sap. A durable tree, once planted in hedgerows; furnished bow wood for the Osage Indians. Bark yellowish brown, furrowed. Small branches with thorns up to 1 inch long. Leaves, including petiole, up to 9 inches long, shiny, ovate to narrower with a smooth margin. Flowers inconspicuous. Fruit conspicuous, green, the size and shape of an orange or grapefruit and containing a milky sap, inedible. Male and female flowers on separate trees, so fruits not on all trees.

Rows of these thorny plants served as fences in the grassland plains before the introduction of barbed ware. The name Bodark is from the French bois d arc, meaning bow wood, referring to Native Americans use of the wood for archery bows. It is also used for fenceposts. Early settlers extracted a yellow dye for cloth from the root bark. The fruit is eaten by livestock, which has given rise to yet another common name, Horse-apple.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Texture: Smooth
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Dioecious
Size Notes: 36-72
Leaf: Green
Flower:
Fruit: Yellow
Size Class: 36-72 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Green
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CA , CO , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MI , MO , MS , NC , NE , NJ , NM , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , WA , WI , WV
Native Distribution: The original native range uncertain, but usually thought to be limited to the Red River drainage in sw. Arkansas, se. Oklahoma, and ne. Texas, possibly extending down the Blackland Prairies into central Texas; widely planted and naturalized in the eastern and northwestern states.
Native Habitat: Prairie, Plains, Meadows, Pastures, Savannahs, Woodlands edge, Opening, Fence rows, Ditches, Ravines, Depressions
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(I)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Heat Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay
Conditions Comments: Medium-sized, spiny tree with short, often crooked trunk; broad, rounded or irregular crown of spreading branches; single, straight, stout spines at base of some leaves; and milky sap.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Hedges, Attractive, Fruits ornamental, Fall conspicuous
Use Wildlife: Nesting site, Cover, Fruit-mammals
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Fragrant Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Birds

From the National Suppliers Directory

According to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:

Hill Country Natives - Leander, TX

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Austin, TX

Bibliography

Bibref 354 - Native & Naturalized Woody Plants of Austin & the Hill Country (1981) Lynch, D.
Bibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.
Bibref 291 - Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender
Bibref 297 - Trees of Central Texas (1984) Vines, Robert A.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Maclura pomifera in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Maclura pomifera in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Maclura pomifera

Metadata

Record Modified: 2010-11-01
Research By: TWC Staff

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