First Bonsais - Osage Orange

[Hen_D]

These two Osage orange trees were grown from seed. They’re about 3years old. This is their first season in a bonsai pot.

Both spent a year in the ground and 2 in a large training pot.

They came from the fruit of a tree under which my dog was buried.

I’d welcome any feedback or advice. Going to let them grow as they will this first season. I don’t see a lot of Maclura Pomifera’s as bonsai, so I thought I’d start posting to find others who are giving this type of tree a go.

 

[KateM]

I know @Orion_metalhead has some...
Here is one of his threads
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/maclura-pomifera-osage-orange-32a-32b.52345/

 

[Orion_metalhead]

fun species... flexible... yours is straight as a pole so depending on long term goals, may want to consider a trunk chop to induce lower branching and future movement options.

 

[Hen_D]

fun species... flexible... yours is straight as a pole so depending on long term goals, may want to consider a trunk chop to induce lower branching and future movement options.

They are indeed. I was so nervous about them I didn’t do anything to shape them. I looked up trunk chopping, before. Perhaps in next year.

 

[Shibui]

Because the species is iconic (at least for bow making) I've grown a few here.
Apart from the obvious drawback of spines, I've had a lot of trouble convincing mine to branch out where required so mine are still sticks with a couple of single branches after maybe 10 years. They don't seem to want to make a good canopy to look like a real tree.

 

[Hen_D]

Because the species is iconic (at least for bow making) I've grown a few here.
Apart from the obvious drawback of spines, I've had a lot of trouble convincing mine to branch out where required so mine are still sticks with a couple of single branches after maybe 10 years. They don't seem to want to make a good canopy to look like a real tree.

I know in the wild they tend to wrap branches around each other. The one these came from had branches wrapped upon branches.

 

[Shibui]

I know in the wild they tend to wrap branches around each other. The one these came from had branches wrapped upon branches.

Interesting trait. I've not seen that in trees down here but we only have cultivated specimens either planted as a specimen tree or along farm fences.
Would love to see some examples if anyone has photos of 'wild' Maclura.

 

[Hen_D]

Interesting trait. I've not seen that in trees down here but we only have cultivated specimens either planted as a specimen tree or along farm fences.
Would love to see some examples if anyone has photos of 'wild' Maclura.

I’ll go out to the tree these came from and take some photos.

 

[Franklikestrees]

I like your elephants

 

[Hen_D]

I like your elephants

Thank you. Doing a bit of work helping to keep the trees stable in this Oklahoma wind.

 

[Desert O'Piñon]

I will try to get a photo tomorrow. There is a row of about 15? On a roadside on my route to work. These are very old, mature trees, but not yet leafed out, so the structure is very obvious. They are nostalgic for me; there are rows of these all over Kansas and in North Texas where I grew up.

 

[hemmy]

Would love to see some examples if anyone has photos of 'wild' Maclura.

Post in thread 'Maclura pomifera (Osage Orange) - Study'
https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/maclura-pomifera-osage-orange-study.52233/post-902864

 

[Desert O'Piñon]

A day late, but better than never.
The twin trunk looks pretty nice. Just started to break bud.