Are the fruits poisonous?

They are not toxic, but they are unpalatable and can cause stomach upset if eaten.

Yes, the branches are armed with sharp, sturdy thorns.

Plant guide

Osage orange.

Maclura pomifera

Pronounced ma-KLOO-ruh po-MIF-er-uh

Also known as Bodark, Mock Orange, Monkey Ball, Monkey Brain, Osage orange, Osage-Orange, Yellow-wood, bow-wood

The Osage orange is a tough, deciduous tree known for its unique, bumpy, grapefruit sized fruits. It was historically used as a living fence because of its dense, thorny branches. You will find it is quite hardy and adaptable to many different soil types.

Another photo of Osage orange — Photo by Andrew Conboy (CC BY) via iNaturalist

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Deciduous tree
Light: Full sun
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 7 to 14 days
Mature size: 30 to 50 feet
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 4 to 9
Bloom time: Late spring

Care

Plant this tree in a spot with plenty of room to spread out. Keep an eye out for suckers if you want to maintain a single trunk. It is incredibly resilient once established, so it rarely needs extra attention.

Watering: Water deeply during the first few years, but it becomes quite drought tolerant once mature.
Feeding: A balanced fertilizer applied in early spring is plenty for this vigorous grower.
Pruning: Prune in late winter while the tree is dormant to shape the canopy or remove thorny branches.
Repotting: This tree is best suited for the landscape rather than containers, but repot if it becomes root bound.
Soil: Well draining, adaptable to various soils
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.5
Temperature: -30 to 40°C
Humidity: 30 to 70%
Drought tolerance: High
Lifespan: Perennial, typically 50 to 100 years.
Deer and rabbits: High

Safety

People: The milky sap can cause skin irritation or contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals.
Children: The large, heavy fruits can be a falling hazard and are not meant for consumption, so keep them away from small children.
Contact allergens: The milky latex sap can cause skin irritation upon contact.
Airborne allergens: The pollen may cause mild respiratory reactions in sensitive individuals during the spring.
Edibility: The fruit is generally considered inedible for humans due to its bitter, milky latex and fibrous texture.

How to identify it

Large, spherical, bumpy green fruit
Sharp, stiff thorns on branches
Glossy, ovate, dark green leaves
Rough, orange brown, deeply furrowed bark

Height: 6 to 18m
Spread: 6 to 12m
Leaves: bright green, yellow, deciduous
Flowers: green, yellow, 1 to 2cm
Fruit: lime green, yellow green, Autumn

Problems to watch for

Leaf spot · Fungal infections can cause dark spots on foliage during wet seasons.

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

Check your osage orange from a photo

Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your plant and tells you what's wrong and what to try first.

Growing it

Propagation: seed, cuttings
When to plant: spring, autumn
Overwintering: No special winter care is needed for established trees as they are very hardy. Young trees may benefit from a layer of mulch around the base to protect roots from extreme freeze thaw cycles.
In containers: Not suitable for containers due to its massive size and extensive root system.

Seed

1. Collect ripe fruit in autumn.
2. Extract seeds by macerating the fruit in water.
3. Clean and dry the seeds.
4. Stratify seeds in the refrigerator for 30 days.
5. Sow in pots in early spring.

Plant in an area where you have plenty of room, as this tree grows quite large and has a wide root system.

Grows well with

Eastern Red Cedar · They share similar drought tolerance and thrive in tough, open conditions.

Similar species

Mulberry · They are in the same family and share similar leaf shapes.

Science

Family: Moraceae
Genus: Maclura
Order: Rosales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: South central United States, specifically the Red River valley.
Conservation: Not of conservation concern, as it is widely naturalized across North America.

It thrives in open, sunny areas and is highly adaptable to various soil types, including poor or compacted ground.

Value to wildlife: seeds provide food for birds, dense branches offer nesting sites
Pollinators: bees, beetles
Uses: windbreak, hedgerow, archery bows, ornamental tree

Through the year

JFMAMJJASOND

Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 4/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 8/9
Temperature: 5/9
Moisture: 4/9
Nutrients: 3/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Are the fruits poisonous?: They are not toxic, but they are unpalatable and can cause stomach upset if eaten.
Does it have thorns?: Yes, the branches are armed with sharp, sturdy thorns.

Where the name comes from

The genus honors William Maclure, an early American geologist, while the species name means fruit-bearing like a pomegranate.

Good to know

The fruit is often called a hedge apple or horse apple.
It was once widely planted as a living fence before barbed wire was invented.
The wood is one of the hardest and heaviest in North America.
The fruit is not actually an apple, but a multiple fruit composed of many small drupelets.

Also in

Keep your osage orange growing

This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.

Get the app

This guide was generated with AI on October 19, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.