Life History & Disturbance Response of Maclura pomifera Osage-orange

Family: Moraceae
Guild: opportunistic, dispersal limited (large-seeded)
Functional Lifeform: small deciduous tree
Ecological Role: grows best on fertile, moist well-drained bottomlands, but also colonizes eroded areas, pastures and disturbed openings; drought and heat tolerant
Lifespan, yrs (typical/max): Information Not Found
Shade Tolerance: intolerant/ intermediate
Height, m: 5-12
Canopy Tree: no
Pollination Agent: wind
Seeding, yrs (begins/optimal/declines): 10/25/65
Mast Frequency, yrs: 1
New Cohorts Source: seeds or sprouts
Flowering Dates: late spring
Flowers/Cones Damaged by Frost: Information Not Found
Seedfall Begins: early fall
Seed Banking: Information Not Found
Cold Stratification Required: yes
Seed Type/Dispersal Distance/Agent: aggregate of druplets/ to 50 m/ gravity, birds, livestock
Season of Germination: spring/summer
Seedling Rooting System: taproot
Sprouting: stump sprouts and root suckers common
Establishment Seedbed Preferences
Substrate: mineral soil
Light: open areas only
Moisture: moist required
Temperature: neutral
Disturbance response:
Fire Little direct information is known, but osage-orange populations probably tolerate occasional fire. It is probably topkilled by fire, and likely sprouts from adventitious buds in the root crown and from root suckers. Seedling establishment is promoted by exposed mineral soil, and may occur from seeds of surviving trees onsite or from offsite seeds carried by birds and livestock.
Weather: Osage-orange is resistant to drought, hail, and ice glaze.
Air pollution: No symptoms of foliar injury have been noted on osage-orange in areas of high ambient ozone.