osage orange seed

[nd chickenman]

Don't know if this is the appropriate place for this, I am looking for some seed or "apples" from an osage orange tree. I am in North Dakota, ya think they will grow here? Most of the nurseries list them as zone 4 trees, we can grow most zone 4 plants in this area. I don't really aspire to grow them for bow making, but someone in the future may use them for that. chickenman

[Jason Jelinek]

I've thought about that also.  Down in Kansas it's considered a nuisance tree/shrub.  It grows like crazy there and isn't necessarily easy to cut down (due to thorns and that it's dense wood).

In Sunmart in West Fargo, they are selling Hedge Apples (osage orange apples) for bug repellents.  They might work.

Jason

[JDinPA]

I was on a hunt in Iowa two years ago. I grabbed a few monkey balls on the way home (along the road).
I let the balls rot on the side of the house for a year. I then ground up the balls to get to the seeds. I then planted a few seeds in a few pots this spring. I now have 5 10" high osage trees started in the garden. Hopefully, they will make it through the winter.

[Aeronut]

They won't work for bug repellent.  I've heard that for years.

Dennis

[nd chickenman]

ttt

[Benoli]

Try this site:  http://www.osageapples.com/

[Talondale]

http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=049293
 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=035626  
 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=034241
The thornless ‘White Shield’ Osage-orange is available from Sunshine Nursery (580-323-6259)

 http://www.sunshinenursery.com/index.htm

[Tom Leemans]

Throw the balls in a bucket of water until they are mushy and falling apart, then plant that stuff. You'll need to groom your young trees often to keep the trunks clean. If you have a creek bottom for them to reach up to get their sun, that's a great place to plant them!

On the subject of tree planting. I recently heard that if you are transplanting a tree, mark the north side somehow and make sure that side is facing north when you re-plant it. This was info from a greenskeeper who kept losing trees until an old farmer told him why he was losing them. He claims he hasn't lost a tree since.