Osage-orange
Maclura pomifera
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Form
Habitat
Leaves
Osage-orange leaf
Twigs
Osage-orange twig Osage-orange twig with sharp thorns Osage-orange twig with sharp thorns Osage-orange twig with sharp thorns
Bark
Osage-orange bark Osage-orange bark
Flowers
Fruit
Osage-orange fruit Osage-orange fruit Osage-orange fruit Osage-orange fruit Osage-orange seed (seed)
  • FAMILY: MORACEAE
  • ALTERNATE COMMON NAMES: bois d’arc, bow wood
  • LEAVES: alternate, simple, deciduous; 3-4.5” ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, entire margin; dark shiny green above
  • FLOWER: dioecious; axillary flowers; spring
  • FRUIT: multiple of drupes forming a green, orange-sized ball; exudes a milky sap when cut
  • TWIGS: armed with sharp, singular stipular thorn (occur below the leaf)
  • BARK: very rough orange-brown bark on older trees
  • FORM: medium-sized tree; short trunk
  • HABITAT: moist bottomlands; naturalized on drier sites
  • WETLAND DESIGNATION: Facultative Upland (FACU): Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but may occur in wetlands of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast Plain Region
  • RANGE: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas; naturalized in eastern US
  • USES: ornamental, prunes well for making hedges; bows; durable rough, low quality timbers from heartwood; yellow dye; very little wildlife use other than cover; quail and squirrels eat seeds
    • Best Recognition Features:
    1. twigs with thorns
    2. rough orange-brown bark
    3. green fruit; size of a naval orange
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