Osage Orange Tree Problems
Also known as hedge or horse apple, Osage oranges bear little resemblance to the juicy, tasty citrus fruit seen in the nation's supermarkets and roadside stands -- except for their scent. The fruit is small and hard, but smells like orange peels. The tree is named for the Osage tribe and was commonly used for hedgerows on the prairie, where wood for fences was scarce. The tree has long, smooth-edged leaves and a plethora of short, sharp thorns. Osage orange (Maclura pomifera) is sometimes called "bodark," a corruption of the French word bois d' arc, which means "bow wood." The Osage tribe prized the wood for bows, and Osage orange wood is still used for durable fence posts. The tree is native to Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Does this Spark an idea?
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Unwanted Propagation
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Osage orange has a habit of reproducing itself, whether the gardener likes it or not. Each hard, wrinkled orange contains hundreds of seeds that squirrels find irresistible. Squirrels have to work hard to get at the seeds, but once they do, seeds can be distributed by the squirrels, wind and running rainwater. The oranges litter the ground and eventually burst open and disgorge seeds. Osage orange grows easily from seed and errant seedlings may be a nuisance to track down and remove in the home landscape.
Thorny Maintenance Problems
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The Osage orange matures slowly, but can grow to 60 feet tall. Inevitably, some of those thorny branches will fall from the tree through age, disease or weather damage. Pruning the tree is difficult, also, because of the multitude of sharp thorns. Osage orange thorns can penetrate even thick tractor tires and pose a hazard to anyone walking in the area or pruning the tree. Fallen branches and twigs must be picked up diligently.
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Tree Diseases
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On rare occasions, Osage orange trees may suffer from cotton root rot, which attacks the tree under very dry conditions. Phoradendron serotinum and P. tomentosum, two species of mistletoe, can grow in the branches and cause "witches' brooms" that damage the tree structurally. Even more rarely, Verticillium albo-atrum and leafspot disease may infect the tree. Damping-off disease and root rot may kill seedlings. As a member of the mulberry family, Osage orange is vulnerable to mulberry borers, painted hickory borer, scale insects and the fruit-tree leafroller.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, Osage orange was more resistant to insects, disease, drought and hail than any other tree in its Prairie States Forestry Project.
Use a commercial herbicide, insecticide or fungicide according to package directions to eliminate any pests and diseases attacking your trees.
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