# Osage-orange (*Maclura pomifera*) The Osage-orange tree is known for its bright green, bumpy fruit that looks like a big orange! It has strong wood and beautiful leaves that turn yellow in the fall. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 14 - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Bodark, Horse Apple ![Osage-orange](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bois'd_Arc_-osage_orange-_tree.JPG&width=800) Photo: Gale French, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bois'd_Arc_-osage_orange-_tree.JPG) ## Appearance The Osage-orange tree has glossy, oval leaves and sharp thorns along its branches. Its bark is deeply furrowed and turns an orange-brown with age. Most distinctively, it produces large, bumpy, citrus-green fruits that resemble brains. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Moraceae - **Genus:** Maclura ## Interesting facts - Its wood is one of the densest in North America, even denser than oak! - People once planted these thorny trees as 'living fences' to keep livestock in. - The bright orange heartwood of this tree glows under a blacklight! - You can extract a vibrant yellow dye from the tree's bark and roots! ## Special abilities - **Tough Protector:** Osage-orange has sharp thorns that help it defend its branches from grazing animals. - **Super Strong Wood:** Osage-orange produces incredibly dense and durable wood that resists decay, making it last a long time. - **Ancient Seed Disperser:** Its huge, hard fruits evolved to be spread by large, now-extinct megafauna like mammoths. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 600-1800 cm - **Spread:** 600-1200 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.3-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses young leaves and twigs - **Shelter:** [Northern cardinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-cardinal) (*Cardinalis cardinalis*) — builds nests in its thorny branches - **Eats:** [Botta's pocket gopher](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bottas-pocket-gopher) (*Thomomys bottae*) — gnaws on its roots underground ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Fall Color](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fall-color): Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Timber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/timber): Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Don't eat the fruit, as it's not safe for people. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Osage-orange? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Osage-orange? 600-1800 cm ### How wide does Osage-orange spread? 600-1200 cm ### How big are the flowers on Osage-orange? 0.3-0.5 cm ### When does Osage-orange bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is Osage-orange edible? No ### Is Osage-orange toxic? Mild ### What is Osage-orange's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Bullock County Courthouse Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bullock-county-courthouse-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Hedgesville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hedgesville-historic-district) — West Virginia, US · Historic District - [Isaac Franklin Plantation](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/isaac-franklin-plantation) — Tennessee, US · Historic Site - [McClellan Creek National Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mcclellan-creek-national-grassland) — Texas, US · National Park - [Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/midewin-national-tallgrass-prairie) — Illinois, US · Forest - [Missouri Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/missouri-botanical-garden) — Missouri, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Osage-orange](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/osage-orange) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Osage-orange: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/osage-orange)