 Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera)
|
Common Name(s): Osage Orange, Horse Apple, Hedge Apple Scientific Name: Maclura pomifera Distribution: South-Central United States Tree Size: 50-60 ft (15-18 m) tall, 1-2 ft (.3-.6 m) trunk diameter Average Dried Weight: 59 lbs/ft3 (935 kg/m3) Hardness: 2,760 lbf (12,280 N)* *Estimated hardness from data of green wood at: 2,040 lbf (9,070 N)* Bending Strength: 19,300 lbf/in2 (133,300 kPa)* *Estimated bending strength from data of green wood at: 13,700 lbf/in2 (94,500 kPa)* Elasticity: 1,677,000 lbf/in2 (11,600 MPa)* *Estimated elasticity from data of green wood at:1,330,000 lbf/in2 (9,170 MPa) Shrinkage: Volumetric: 9.2% |
Color/Appearance: Heartwood is golden to bright yellow, which almost certainly ages to a darker medium brown with time: primarily due to exposure to UV light. See the article Preventing Color Changes in Exotic Woods for more details.
Grain/Pore: Has an even and straight grain with a fine to medium texture. Pores are closed.
Durability: Osage Orange is extremely durable and is considered to be one of the most decay resistant woods in North America.
Workability: Working this wood can be difficult due to its hardness and density, though it is reported to have little dulling effect on cutting edges. It turns well, and also takes stains, glues and finishes well.
Smell: There is no characteristic odor associated with this wood species.
Safety: Sap has been reported to cause dermatitis. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.
Price Range: Having typically small, crooked, and knotty trunks, Osage Orange isn’t usually harvested for lumber, but can occasionally be found for sale in either board or small turning block form. Due to its domesticity and adequate supply, the price should be moderate, though likely to be higher than most other native lumbers on account of its “specialty” status.
Comments: Osage Orange has a relatively low modulus of elasticity compared to its weight, (it’s somewhat flexible), which would explain why it is sometimes used for archery bows. The wood is also very stable, with little seasonal/environmental movement.
Commonly, the wood of a related South-American species—Maclura tinctoria—is imported as Argentine Osage Orange. This imported wood has the advantage of being available in larger sizes, with boards having less knots and defects than the smaller domestic species, Maclura pomifera.
Osage Orange has been shown in studies to produce more BTUs when burned than any other domestic hardwood, and is accordingly sometimes used as fuelwood. Other common uses include: fence posts, dye, archery bows, musical instruments, turnings, and other small specialty wood items.
|
Osage Orange (sanded) |
 Osage Orange (sealed) |
 Osage Orange (endgrain) |
March 22nd, 2010 at 1:39 pm
I live in Arizona and my friend and I would like to harvest some osage orange for turning. The fun for us is using found wood. My problem is I’m having a difficult time finding a location. All the hits on line are either articles related to the tree of blanks for sale.
March 22nd, 2010 at 7:09 pm
Nancy,
I don’t quite follow what you are asking when you say you’re having a hard time “finding a location.” At first I thought you were talking about finding trees to harvest, but then in the next sentence you mention searching online for articles, etc.