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Growing Maclura pomifera
Plants

Maclura Growing Guide

Growing Maclura pomifera

Commonly known as ‘Osage Orange’

There are several negatives concerning this American tree which grows up to 40ft. Sadly the tree is dioecious so you need male and female trees to produce fruit but have no way of knowing what sex your tree is until it flowers with fairly insignificant yellow to green flowers. The branches of this tree are armed with 1½in spines which are more pronounced in immaturity. That is why it is often grown in its native USA as a hedge.

On a more positive note its long ovate leaves turn a lovely yellow in autumn. If your plant turns out to be female it will, one day, produce yellowish-green orange shaped fruits of 2-4in in diameter. The fruits are full of milky juice.

M. pomifera is fully hardy and needs to be grown in full sun. The only way to propagate it at a young age is to take root cuttings in winter.

Maclura are related to morus (mulberry) and broussonetia.