This species has several good characters for identification. The fruits are spherical, often exceeding 10 cm in diameter and are very dense and heavy. The branches bear stout thorns and the bark of the trunk is often somewhat orange in color. The leaves are simple, alternate and entire, rounded at the base and long tapering to the tip.

The natural range of Maclura is in the southern U.S., but it is widely planted and apparently sometimes escapes near plantings. In Wisconsin it is known from a few sites in the extreme southern area of the state.