ILLINOIS TREES: SELECTION. PLANTING, AND CARE 



89 



Fig. 82. — Osage orange, 

 formerly used extensively 

 for farm hedges, produces 

 large, yellowish-green 

 fruit. The fruit and the 

 shiny, oval-shaped leaves 

 (inset) exude a milky juice 

 when crushed. 



abruptly narrowed tip, have smooth margins and are 3-5 inches 

 long and 2-3 inches wide. The male and female flowers are pro- 

 duced on separate trees, the male flowers in clusters 1-1 ^o inches 

 long, and the female flowers in globelike heads ■V4.-I inch in diam- 

 eter. The ball-shaped, yellowish-green, fleshy fruit, sometimes 

 called hedge apple, is 4-5 inches in diameter by the time it ripens 

 in autumn. The leaves and fruits exude a sticky, milky sap when 

 bruised or crushed. The dark orange, deeply fissured bark forms 

 into broad, rounded ridges. 



The bright orange, coarse-grained wood is exceedingly hard 

 and durable and makes excellent bows, fence posts, and railroad 

 ties. Osage orange is exceptionally free of diseases, requires very 

 little pruning, and seldom is damaged by wind and ice. However, 

 its foliage is relished by some caterpillars. 



Pagoda Tree 



Japanese pagoda tree or Chinese scholar tree (Sopkoi-a 

 japonica) (Fig. 83), introduced into the United States from 

 eastern Asia in 1747, is a dense, round-headed tree with spread- 

 ing branches. It reaches a height of 60-70 feet, with a branch 



