Osage orange
Maclura pomifera · Moraceae
📷 Gale French · CC BY-SA 3.0
The gardener's calendar
In autumn, ease off feeding and take the chance to clean up around osage orange and prepare for winter.
ID card
- Common name
- Osage Orange, Bois-d'arc
- Family
- Moraceae
- Type
- Deciduous tree
- Adult size
- 39 feet tall, spreading habit
- Flowering
- May to June, inconspicuous flowers
- Foliage
- Deciduous, elongated bright green leaves
- Hardiness
- Very hardy, down to -13°F
- Origin
- Texas and Oklahoma (United States)
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability high.
Expert tips
The key tip
Maclura pomifera is a robust tree but hates being disturbed. Plant it directly in its final spot in autumn; later transplants will slow it down permanently.
The common mistake
Planting too close to other trees to protect it: it prefers isolation.
The pro's trick
Space the fruits (osages) 15-20 cm apart in June if you don't want them on the ground.
Care
Watering
Osage Orange tolerates drought well once established. Water regularly during the first year to promote root development, then gradually reduce frequency. During prolonged dry periods, monthly watering is sufficient. Avoid excessive moisture, which can encourage rot.
Sunlight
Plant in full sun for optimal growth and dense foliage. This tree also tolerates partial shade, but its vigor will be reduced. The more light exposure, the more harmoniously the tree develops.
Soil and Preparation
Osage Orange adapts to nearly all soil types: sandy, clay, chalky. However, it prefers well-drained soil. Amend the soil at planting with compost to improve structure. Avoid overly compacted or waterlogged soils.
Pruning and Training
No pruning is strictly necessary. Prune in late winter to remove dead or poorly oriented branches and maintain a balanced shape. This tree heals well and tolerates formative pruning when young.
Fertilization
Osage Orange is undemanding. An annual application of compost on the surface in spring is sufficient. Avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizers, which would promote excessive vegetative growth at the expense of structure.
Diseases and Pests
Very robust, Osage Orange is rarely affected by diseases or pests. Occasionally, wood-boring insects may attack weakened trees. Keeping a tree vigorous through good drainage and sufficient light exposure prevents most problems.
Did you know?
Osage Orange owes its name to a very ancient use: the Native Americans of the Texas and Oklahoma region used its extremely hard and flexible wood to craft high-quality bows. In the 19th century, settlers used it to create impenetrable defensive hedges before barbed wire was invented, which gave it wide distribution as a boundary tree across the central United States.
Where to buy it
Best planted in autumn so the roots settle in before summer, or in early spring once the frost has passed. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, October, November.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Fig treeFicus carica
- White MulberryMorus alba
- Red mulberryMorus rubra
- Rubber plantFicus elastica
- Black mulberryMorus nigra
- Korean mulberryMorus indica
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.