Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Hedge Apple Tree

Maclura pomifera, commonly called Osage-orange or hedge-apple is a small deciduous tree or large shrub, it typically grows (26–49 ft) tall. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on different plants. The fruit, a multiple fruit, is roughly spherical, but bumpy. It is filled with a sticky white latex sap. In fall, its color turns a bright yellow-green. Many people use the fruit as a natural insecticide to ward off some insects.

Here at DMGCC there a few Hedge trees left from the original farms. They were never planted here but were part of the original homestead or fence lines. The reason for this post is to highlight one particular Hedge tree that is to the left of the tee on #2 tee North. This particular Hedge tree is a multi-stem tree and it is very large. In fact when Bill Byers was the Director of Grounds here at the club he had it registered and it came back as the second largest multi-stem hedge tree in the state of Iowa. So it is worth keeping around and it still looks very majestic today. It is a male hedge tree and it bears no fruit. We have had some arborist come to take cuttings from it, by doing this they are trying to propagate it using material from the tree. So the next time you are out on the North course take a look at this beauty.