The wood has been a favorite for fence posts since pioneer times. It transplants easily. The fruit is a favorite with birds and for this reason it should be planted about orchards and in woodlots. It is sometimes called the red mulberry to distinguish it from the following species.[49]
MORUS RUBRA Linnæus. Red Mulberry. (× 1/2.)
Maclura pomífera (Rafinesque) Schneider. Hedge. Osage Orange. (Toxylon pomiferum Raf.) [Plate 65.] Trees with brown shreddy bark on old trees; mature twigs greenish gray, zigzag; spines about 10-15 mm. long; leaves ovate to oblong lanceolate, average blades 7-12 cm. long, wedge-shape, rounded or cordate at the base, long taper-pointed at the apex, margins entire, pubescent on both sides while young, becoming at maturity lustrous and glabrous above, remaining pubescent beneath; fruit globose, about 1 dm. in diameter; wood heavy, very hard and strong, the most durable in contact with the soil of any of our post timbers.
Distribution.—Missouri and Kansas south to Texas. Introduced into Indiana for hedge fences. There is some question as to the ability of this species to escape. I have heard that it frequently sends up root shoots at several feet from hedge fences, and that it frequently seeds itself along old hedge fences. For the past few years I have given the species especial attention and I have never seen it as an escape except in three instances.
Remarks.—This species was formerly much planted for farm fences, but since land has become so valuable, its use has been discontinued, and the old fences are being dug up. The tree grows a short trunk, and one was noted in Grant County that was at least 6 dm. in diameter that was estimated to be less than fifty years old. This species is subject to the San Jose scale and in some localities it has been killed by it. It has been but little used for forest planting, and the plantations are not yet old enough to measure their success.