New Osage Orange Trees Are Gamechangers

Osage Orange replaced with thornless, fruitless varieties

Osage orange (Maclura pomifera) has been declawed and neutered (USDA Zones 5-9). A member of the mulberry family (Moraceae), this tough prairie tree species is native to south Central states. The medium-sized 35-40 foot tree grows fast @ 2 ½ to 3 feet per year. It is also called Bois D’Arc (pronounced “bow-dark”).

‘Wichita’ and ‘White Shield’ are fruitless and thornless (male) selections. Both cultivars develop into attractive landscape trees with deep green shiny foliage that turns a beautiful fall pale to golden yellow in fall. ‘Wichita’ grows slightly taller than ‘White Shield’, and its branching is slightly more upright.  ‘White Shield’ forms a rounded canopy, averaging 35 feet in height and spread.  Mostly inconspicuous tiny green flower clusters appear in late spring.

Osage orange, aka "hedge apple" is a dioecious species. Male trees make effective landscape shade trees. Female trees are generally not recommended for landscape use because their fruits pose a considerable litter problem. Mature tree bark is deeply fissured, with an orange-brown inner wood peeking through. In the early years, pruning helps to develop a well-branched tree.

Hedge apples, i.e. large 4-6 inch wide yellowish green fruit, weigh 2 to 3 pounds each. Fruits on female trees fall from the tree in October and are a huge maintenance headache. Female trees need a male tree pollinator in order to produce fruit.

Fierce ½- inch long thorns, hidden within the dense branches, can do lots of harm, even puncture a vehicle tire. The tree’s wood is hard and does not split easily.

Osage orange is easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. The tree grows almost anywhere, in poor infertile, acid or alkaline soils, and dry or wet fields. It also tolerates drought, heat, cold and wind. Disease and pest problems are practically non-existent. Its foliage is tolerant of urban air pollutants.

Both cultivars are good choices planted on large residential or commercial properties, city parks, and golf courses. Also, plant under high power lines or utilize as a deciduous windbreak.

Diseased Resistant Flowering Dogwoods

'Appalachian Joy' at NC Arboretum, Asheville, NC

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is a small spring flowering tree that typically grows 15-30 feet tall. It is generally  low-branching, and with a flat-topped canopy.

This beautiful native tree grows best in a moist well-drained soils in 3/4 day sun to light shade. Maintain a 2-4 inch mulch layer around the tree to keep roots cool and moist. It rarely requires pruning, except to remove a broken or dead limb.

Concerns about planting flowering dogwoods (Cornus florida) have calmed over the years  with the introduction of five disease resistant dogwood varieties from the University of Tennessee. Spring availability should be good and come in larger landscape sizes in containers and balled and burlapped (b&b).

Anthracnose resistant cultivar: 'Appalachian Spring'

Powdery mildew resistant cultivars: 'Appalachian Snow', 'Appalachian Blush' and 'Appalachian Mist'.

Additionally, 'Cherokee Brave', with dark pink flower bracts, has proven to exhibit exceptionally good powdery mildew resistance.

Flowering dogwood performs best in southern New England and mid-Atlantic states, eastern Mid-west states (Illinois to Ohio), and southeastern U.S.