Maclura promifera (Osage Orange)
Plant community: N/A
Native region/country: Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma
Mature size: 35-60 feet tall. 35-60 feet spread.
Habitat and/or preferred growing conditions: Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Prefers uniformly moist soils, but tolerates both dry and wet conditions. Also tolerates poor soils, drought, heat, cold and wind.
Hardiness zone: 4-9
Leaf/flower color: It is a medium-sized, spiny, deciduous tree that typically grows to 35-60’ tall with a broad rounded crown. It is also commonly grown as a hedgerow shrub at much lower heights. Features orange-brown bark, ovate shiny dark green leaves, milky sap, thorny twigs and large wrinkled fruit. Leaves turn yellow in fall. Osage orange is dioecious (separate male and female trees), with non-showy greenish male and female flowers appearing in clusters on separate trees in June. Fertilized flowers on female trees give way to inedible grapefruit-sized fruits (3-5” diameter) which are commonly called hedge apples.
Does it burn?: Yes
Burn Quality: Excellent. Burns excellent, easy to split, low smoke, many sparks, excellent aroma. Weight of seasoned cord (lbs): 4,728. Heat produced per cord (M BTU): 32.9.
Sources:
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a879
http://forestry.usu.edu/htm/forest-products/wood-heating