osage seedlings

[fujimo]

hiya, i know this may not be exactly the correct place to post this, but dont know where else to put it!
does anybody know where i can get osage seedlings, or seed.or at the very least the botanical name for it so that i can try and get hold of some thru a supplier.
i want to plant some here in my yard, just for fun, great for birds too i believe.
thanks

[Bruce Prosser]

Maclura pomifera and send me a note this fall and I will send you some "apples". You have to freeze the fruit, thaw it out and then get the seeds. I planted about 50 last year and only got 15 to grow. Have them in my garden next to the green beans and tomatos. They are really going this year. Maybe in 20 or so years I will have a steady supply of osage wood.

Look on "that" auction site called e bay, sometimes people have the seeds for sale, also contact your local extension agent, they might have contacts.

Bruce

[Bruce Prosser]

Did not notice that you were in Canada, I do not know if you have extension agents, sorry.

[Pat B]

The botanical name is for osage Maclura pomafera. I know some tree companies have osage seedlings. Check with your local Cooperative Extension Service for suppliers. If you can get a few hedge apples you can remove the seeds, store them in the frig and plant them next spring.

[Bert Frelink]

Wayne,
There is a guy in PincherCreek here that planted some, I will find out for you where he got them.
Bert.

[Eric Krewson]

I have posted this before but I recommend you start a lot more seedlings than you want. Let them grow in gallon pots for a year and cull the ones that exhibit twisted or deformed growth.

When I was into starting osage seedlings I found that only about a third looked like future bow wood prospects after a year in pots.

[Jim Curlee]

Don't know about Canada, but they don't grow very well in Minnesota.
They seem to die back every winter, then they start growing from the root stock.
I've had mine growing for 10-15 years, last year I got my first hedge apple.
The trees aren't anymore than an 8' tall bush.
I had about a 10% survival rate here.
Good luck.
Jim

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I've thought about doing like Eric suggest and planting the good straight ones along my creek bank in the wood so they got to fight for sun and grow good and straigt.

[Pat B]

Where in Western Canada are you?  If close enough to the ocean they should grow fine in that milder climate.

[Bert Frelink]

Pat,
We are in Alberta(about 800 miles from the ocean), we can get some pretty ugly winter weather -30 and it will dip to - 40 some times.
I think the guy that planted some here is experiencing about that same 10% survival rate.
I just don't think I can wait 15-20 years to find out, I wanna build some bows now.
But good luck to Wayne sounds like he is planning on staying a while.
Bert.

[Johan van Niekerk]

How long would planted osage take before you could get a bow from it?

Also just a thought...can't you wire the saplings (like you do with bonzai) to keep them straight?

[Pat B]

Under the right conditions you could probably build a bow within ten years. I wouldn't try to plant bow wood for myself. I would plant it for future bowyers.