Osage Orange Seeds (Maclura pomifera) - Zone 4 - 50+ Seeds

Osage Orange, scientifically known as Maclura pomifera, is a medium-sized, spiny, deciduous tree native to river valleys and rich bottomlands in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana. It typically grows to 35-60 feet tall with a broad, rounded crown, and is known for its orange-brown bark, ovate shiny dark green leaves, milky sap, thorny twigs, and large wrinkled fruit. The leaves turn yellow in the fall, and the tree is dioecious, with separate male and female trees.

The female trees produce inedible grapefruit-sized fruits, commonly called hedge apples, which are dense clusters of hundreds of small fruits. These fruits are showy but not edible and typically appear in June. Osage Orange is adaptable, tolerating poor soils, drought, heat, cold, and wind. It can be grown as a hedge or shade tree.

Native Americans highly valued the wood of Osage Orange for making bows, earning it the name "bow-wood". The wood is heavy, hard, strong, and flexible, with a bright yellow color that fades to medium brown upon exposure to ultraviolet light.

Cold Hardiness Zone: 4
Seed Source: PA, USA (Zone 5b - 7a)
Cold Stratification: 1-2 months