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Maclura pomifera

Bodark · Mock Orange · Monkey Ball · Osage Orange · Hedge Apple

Family MoraceaeGenus Maclura

A large knobbly green fruit lying among fallen leaves
FruitThomas R Machnitzki (thomasmachnitzki.com)CC BY 3.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
TreePlant Finder
Habit
treePlants of the World Online
Height
35-60 ft11-18 mPlant Finder
Spread
35-60 ft11-18 mPlant Finder
Flower
Insignificant; greenPlant Finder
Blooms
JunePlant Finder
Native range
Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, OklahomaPlant Finder
Hardiness zones
4-9Plant Finder
Note
An earlier report called this a 40-70 germinator. Deno says that is an error from not washing the seed.Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed.

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sun to part shadePlant Finder
Soil
Average, dry to medium, well-drainedPlant Finder
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Dry to mediumPlant Finder
Watering
Dry to mediumPlant Finder

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plant Finder — Missouri Botanical Garden; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno.

Worth knowing

Protocol

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

  1. Clean the flesh off the seed

    Work the seed out of the pulp under water in a large pail; the latex sets to gum in air.

  2. Leach in running water

    Duration: 1–5 days

    Wash and clean in water.

  3. Leach in running water

    Duration: 2–5 days

    Then a detergent wash. It only removes the red-brown tar, but it keeps the job clean.

  4. Sow and cover

10 days from start to sowing. Then 35 days to germinate.

90% germination in 14–35 days.

Every regime Deno tried -- 1-14 days of water, then 2-10 of detergent -- gave over 80%.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, MacluraPublic domain
Show the original text
Maclura (Moraceae). M. pomifera was reported to be a 40-70 germinator (ref. 28, Ch. 10). This report is in error and results from failure to WC the seeds. The seeds are enclosed in a large fruit. This fruit contains not only germination inhibitors but a large amount of latex which polymerizes to a sticky gum when exposed to air. It is recommended that the seeds be removed from the pulp under water in a large pail. Even then some sticky polymer will form on one's hands and can only be removed with an organic solvent like turnpentine followed by soap and water. Experiments were conducted varying the time of WC with water from 1-14 d followed by WC with detergent, and the detergent wash was varied from 2-10 d. All treatments gave over 80% immediate germination. The WC with detergent served only to remove some red-brown tar and make the operation cleaner. The recommended procedure is WC with water 1-5 d followed by WC with detergent for 2-5 d. Seeds so treated give 90-100% germination in 2-5 w. A prior 3 m at 40 and OS for 6 m at 70 had no effect.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Maclura. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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