Identifying Hedge

[burroak]

I'm cutting some trees out of a fencerow, and came accross what I think is some Hedge apple (Osage Orange) trees. After cutting it, I'm not so sure now. All the Hedge trees that I've seen before all have some small thorns on them. However, there is not a single thorn to be found on these. So now I'm starting to wonder if these are actually mulberry?

It oozes a milky sap like Hedge. And the twigs aren't inter-twined like mulberry. So i'm at a loss.

 

[sawinredneck]

There is a "Male" and a "Female" Hedge tree, I think? it's the female that has thorns and apples, and the male has neither.

 

[burroak]

There is a "Male" and a "Female" Hedge tree, I think? it's the female that has thorns and apples, and the male has neither.

Aha! That would explain why there were no hedge apples either.

Thanks!

 

[jimbojango]

I've cut millions of hedge tree's and NEVER met one without thorns... at least somewhere on it ... might be a china berry (if you have those in your area) ... or some strain i've never seen or something... but i'm guessing its just a mulberry thats a little out of the ordinary. is there a white ring on the outside of the wood? then yellow center?

 

[burroak]

here's a couple pictures I took. Do these help?
It was a large but short tree, about 36" diameter at breast height. It split into 3 sections, and I've only cut one section so far. It was a hard, heavy wood. Like I said, I couldn't find a thorn anywhere on the tree.

 

[rmotoman]

The bark looks like mulberry not hedge. Plus the heart wood would be bright (john deere) yellow.

I have run across male hedge without thorns. Not many but a few.

 

[Labman]

Not hedge. It has a distinctive orange center. The bark isn't quite right either. Hedge throws sparks when you cut it. We have a huge male in our back yard. I hate to think how much fruit it could produce. It has thorns mostly on the new growth.

 

[trost66]

Looks like mulberry to me.

 

[TMFARM 2009]

i cut three down this year here on the farm, and all three looked just like that inside. until it cured a while, then it darkened up to the yellow we all know..... yes it will gush out sap at ya while cutting down. if it has a good water source...i have some here 48" diameter absolutely huge that still produce apples almost by the truck load. they dont have thorns on them.... but the smaller ones do.... i also have mulberry here too unfortunately the bark is different on them then hedge....also have some bur oak sycamore and pine ash elm walnut maple and plenty of briar's both in fence row and next door...lol

 

[gixxer1237]

Looks like mulberry to me. The pale color and bark. all the hedge around here is yellow when you cut it. And every one Ive ever cut had thprons on it somewhere. maybe just little thorns on new groth, but Ive heard the males dont.

 

[ckr74]

That there be mulberry. Almost as good as hedge. Good stuff!!!!!!

 

[ray benson]

The mulberry we cut has a more yellowish heartwood that changes to a deep orange/brown color.

 

[jimbojango]

Agreed guys, its mulberry

 

[burroak]

A picture of the main trunk. Hedge or mulberry? I thought mulberry had a more reddish tint to it. This has an orangish/yellow tint to the bark.

 

[coog]

The trunk could be Hedge, but the wood is not yellow enough to be fresh cut Hedge. I think Mulberry, too.

 

[burroak]

Thanks for the help, guys. I think I may have figured it out....
What I'm use to seeing around my house is RED mulberry.
I think this stuff might be WHITE mulberry, which I've never come across before.
That would explain the different bark from what I'm use to seeing, and also the lack of thorns.
I'll go back and see if I can find any leaves under the snow, and see if I can use the twig method of identifying trees.

 

[mizzou]

The last picture of the stump is hedge. At least we call it hedge around here, and there is a lot of it here. Enjoying the rare blizzard while burning some hedge and black locust.

 

[Hedgerow]

The last picture of the stump is hedge. At least we call it hedge around here, and there is a lot of it here. Enjoying the rare blizzard while burning some hedge and black locust.

That wood was mulberry. I got a ton of it around here... Like to think of it as a hedge tree's cousin. Have seen it bright yellow to almost a burnt ruddy color. It burns well. One thing you'll notice, is it will shed weight quicker than hedge. Good stuff... As far as the blizzard goes mizzou... THIS SUCKS!!! We're not supposed to get this much snow in southwest missouri!!! But if you don't have to be out in it, throw a couple more pieces of that hedge on the fire till it goes "Supernova". It always puts on a good show.:laughn: I love the stuff!

 

[mizzou]

That wood was mulberry. I got a ton of it around here... Like to think of it as a hedge tree's cousin. Have seen it bright yellow to almost a burnt ruddy color. It burns well. One thing you'll notice, is it will shed weight quicker than hedge. Good stuff... As far as the blizzard goes mizzou... THIS SUCKS!!! We're not supposed to get this much snow in southwest missouri!!! But if you don't have to be out in it, throw a couple more pieces of that hedge on the fire till it goes "Supernova". It always puts on a good show.:laughn: I love the stuff!

From what I've read it is closely related to hedge. Can't really tell how much snow we have but the news says about 12" here. They say you guys got a lot more down there. I did walk around the house and to the mail box, but I love this stuff.

 

[woodshaver]

Thats some good wood to burn.