Finnish guy's question about growing Osage Orange

[Mikkolaht]

Disclaimer: All the info I have gathered about the subject is from the internet, I might have gotten something wrong but feel free to correct me.


Hey,

I have been intrested in growing osage orange for a while now.
One thing has been boggling me...

I have done the research regarding the stratification of the seeds, preferred soil type etc.

However I haven't got any clear info about how frost resistant osage is. It is said to be resistant up to zone 4 by some sources.
West Coastal Finland has average 180 days long growing season (Very much warmer than compared to northern Finland, it gets cold quick), this should be enough to grow osage successfully.
Yet no one has done it here in Finland... I know one osage which grows in a green house in botanical garden of Turku.

By the way, Growing season = days that average abow 5 degrees celcius / 41 degrees Farenheit in a single year.

Lets compare Ohio and Finland for example, Westcoast Finland has 180 days long growing season, Ohio has 170 days long growing season(correct me if I'm wrong).
From what I can tell from this info is that osage should do better here in finland than in Ohio..

The reason I'm comparing Ohio and Finland is, osage does pretty well in Ohio.

Main question is: What is the northest place you have seen osage trees growing? I'm just curious to know and this information would help me greatly to understand the subject.
Also describing how the plant was growing would help. Was is a shrub or a tree with a clear trunk?

Thank you for reading this topic.
-Mikko

[GlisGlis]

what about minimum temperatures?

[Parnell]

Northern Ohio is the farthest north I’ve seen them but I’d figure they are even a bit further north.

[dylanholderman]

native Ohioan here and i can verify that it will grow in northern Ohio (it would be probably grow in Michigan too but i don't know for sure)   
whether it grows like a tree or a shrub i think is more dependent on how large the trees around it are, Osage likes to spread out so growing around other trees can force it to grow straighter but if they are too large and thick than it stays small in the under-story

[Eric Krewson]

I had thought about sending seeds to people in foreign countries in the past but didn't because inducing an invasive species to a place it doesn't naturally grow is almost always is a bad idea.

[Outbackbob48]

I live on the 42ND parrel line basically New York and Pa. border and we have a few Osage trees not sure how many more grow North of the 42ND. There some big trees here but knarly twisted seeking sun, if out in the open not as bad. Bob

[dylanholderman]

I had thought about sending seeds to people in foreign countries in the past but didn't because inducing an invasive species to a place it doesn't naturally grow is almost always is a bad idea.

i'm not disagreeing with you because you are absolutely right, but Ohio and all of the northern states didn't originally have Osage it's natural range is from Texas Arkansas and Oklahoma. it has just become naturalized in other states because of its use in hedgerows.

[Mikkolaht]

Thanks for the replies!

So what we can put together from this is that:
Osage is growing at northern Ohio and maybe even Michigan.
This is good news in my opinion, Finland is a lot warmer than other countries at the same latitude.
Also the growth is affected by the amount of sunlight.

It rarely gets below - 25celcius/-13farenheit where I live. What about in Ohio?

[High-Desert]

I’ve tried growing Osage here in central oregon and it doesn’t kill it, but every year the tender young growth gets killed in September by frost, and I get about 6” of die back on a 3 year old tree. Then it throws out a ton of side shoots, which I cut off and re train a new vertical shoot. So I think Osage need a little longer season that zone 6b. Just my experience tho

[dylanholderman]

It rarely gets below - 25celcius/-13farenheit where I live. What about in Ohio?

it will get that cold but not too often (once every 3 or 4 years) and when it does its usually just for a couple of weeks.
i think that Osage will grown there but you might have to protect it for the first couple of years until it gets a little more mature. 

[chamookman]

Lots of Osage growing here in Mid Michigan  ! Bob

[Mikkolaht]

Okay, I will use some jute sacks for winter protection for the next winter.

Great to hear it grows is michigan too, only 14degrees more south than Finland!

[Stoner]

I use to cut them by my old house  Freeland, Michigan along the Tittabawassee River. Good growth rings to follow and still have some wood 10 years later.  I would pick up the hedge apples and plant them all over my 40 acres. Someone is probably cussing me out for all those thorny trees. unless they build bows. John

[Mikkolaht]

Yeah the thorns are nasty indeed and the tree starts growing them from year one lol.

Edit: Do you guys just straight up plant the seeds/apples to the ground or grow them inside before planting?

Also, if anyone knows where to get osage seeds from Michigan or other cold places, I would be glad to know.

[Pat B]

What some guys do is put the balls in a bucket of water over the winter. In early spring drain off most of the water and pour the remain slurry in a shallow ditch and cover it. Later that spring the seedlings will emerge. Next fall after the growing season dig the seedlings and replant in their intended location or in pots for a few years then transplant. You want to wait til the plants are dormant before you dig them for transplant. That way you have less transplant shock and better success.
 You may be able to buy seedlings. I know you can get them here in the US but don't know about exporting/importing them to Finland.