I bought a 'Whiteshield' osage orange from a nursery and on the phone the guy told me that they only had one left, but that last year it only leafed out and did not grow. Well, I bought it anyway and it has now leafed out but I don't see any stem growth. I can see where it has been grafted. Is it going to take awhile before it starts height growth? And, are these little male flowers already?
#2
I expect you'll see some stem growth this year, dependent on how extensive the roots are that supply nutrients/water to the rest of the plant. Give it room, and prepare to prune for form.
Once ensconced, you'll be amazed at the vigor of 'White Shield'. Twenty feet tall in four years has been reported from the NC State arboretum. I can vouch for similar unmeasured growth here at the Valley as well as less well nurtured individuals around Louisville's metro parks system.
Yes, those are the staminate flowers.
Is there an echo in here??? (:o)
Osage-orange can be a lot like Ginkgo. It can sit there for a couple of years twiddling its thumbs and making little spur branches until you give it a good kick in the @$$ with Nitrogen and wake it up. Then, like VV told you, get out of its way. Whiteshield is probably the most vigorous of the cultivars I've seen. As long as it wasn't pot-bound or planted improperly it should do very well for you down there.
Guy S.
I think the 'White Shield' vigor infected the postings here! I don't think I hit the trigger three times.
I'll go up and edit the multiple posts to zero; Dave only knows what may have happened.
After thinking I was going to be disappointed, it has suddenly put on a foot of new growth in just one week !
Ye olde watched potte...
We wouldn't steer you wrong, E-guy.
Does anybody know the meaning of the name "White Shield?"
Scott
It came from Whiteshield Creek, which in turn was named for a Native American chief of whatever local tribe had lived there. Contact Steve and Sherry Bieberich at Sunshine Nursery, Clinton OK for details.
Guy S.
I thought I would give an update on this. It is now about 7ft tall, that's 5ft of growth this year alone. It hasn't put out any side branches and sort of looks like a beanpole. Is this typical?
It's not only typical, it may even be underachieving.
I think I cut more than 10 feet worth of side branches off mine, coaxed by your original post to finally start giving it some structure.
I should go out and take some pictures of the various plants around the parks, for diverse examples of how this tree can behave.
Here's a picture of the way it looks now.
Yep; you ought to be able to name that one at 50 paces, every time.
Even though it's tall and skinny, it's very stiff. It would make one mean switch! lol
I didn't even think anything about it until my sister came over and asked "what is that thing".
