Tough North American native tree with thorny branches, glossy leaves, and inedible grapefruit-sized green fruits. Heartwood produces a clear yellow dye and the timber is the historic plains windbreak species.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 4–9 | −34.4 °C to −1.1 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H6 | −20 °C to −15 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 4–8 | −29 °C to −1 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 2–6 | −10 °C to 15 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
Growing notes
- Yellow dye extracted from chips or shavings of the bright yellow heartwood
- Planted in dense rows across the US Great Plains in the 19th century as “hedge-row” living fence and windbreak — the standard pre-barbed-wire stock barrier of the American Midwest
- Timber is among the most rot-resistant of any North American tree — historically used for fence posts that lasted 50+ years untreated
- Fruits are inedible — large hedge-apples are a curiosity rather than a food
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Osage orange against your zones