When the French traders arrived in North America, they were shown the best bows on the continent, and those were made of, . Decay resistance combined with its strength made it excellent for railroad ties and while wooden wagons and carriages were the chief form of transportation, it was a wood of choice for wheels and rims. Early trappers, frontiersmen, and explorers recognized the tough, dense wood as ideal for their own archery bows and handles. Osage-orange has very strong branches and long thorns. After poking all around the internet, including the always-helpful Native American Ethnobotany Database, I have found only one use for Osage Orange (Maclura Pomifera) fruits: * They are sometimes sold as natural insect repellant. Under severe pruning, the hedge apple sprouted abundant adventitious shoots from its base; as these shoots grew, they became interwoven and formed a dense, thorny barrier hedge. Instead, these trees are used as natural fences and barriers because of their thick branches and fast growth. The trees’ distinct green fruit is also rumored to be useful. It has been a good year for walnuts, a product of the abundant rainfall we have had here in Central Kentucky. McCallum, Frances T. and James Mulkey Owens, "BARBED WIRE,", http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/aob01. Of course, Osage-orange has two attributes that limit its use in landscapes: large fruits and spiny thorns. Osage Orange – Uses. Finally, this very dense wood burns very hot. It can survive many extreme conditions. Also, a bright yellow dye can be extracted from the wood. 1981] SMITH AND PERINO: OSAGE ORANGE 25 from the fruits which resemble oranges and from the Osage Indians, who fre-quently used the wood for bows and clubs (Burton, 1973). Osage orange trees were once planted at the Garden as a hedge row. has had much more experience with osage orange than most. The wood readily sparks and explodes, making it dangerous in fireplaces. 1981. The wood is used for L’oranger des Osages, peu commun en France, se reconnaît à ses fruits verts qui ressemblent à des oranges mais ne sont pas comestibles. this world? Help support my series by checking out:My Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/weirdexplorer---- Or get a TSHIRT: www.weirdexplorer.com http://www.fox19.com/story/13386003/keeping-you-safe-osage-oranges, https://www.facebook.com/AWanderingBotanist, Visiting Northern Florida--Forest Walk at Birdsong. "hedge apple") as a hedge to exclude free-range livestock from vegetable gardens and corn fields. Consequently, Osage-oranges were widely planted as living fences. Other uses for the wood include wooden machine parts, pulley blocks, furniture manufacturing and archery bows. barbed wire were produced and quickly replaced Osage-orange (. Osage Oranges Fruit: Is used for decoration and smells really good. fenceposts. This plan was a WPA project launched in 1934 to prevent soil erosion. Habitats: Woods, fields and thickets in rich bottom lands[73, 83]. The use of the wood for bows led early French explorers to name the tree bois d'arc, or wood-of-the-bow (Peattie, 1953). Visiting Northern Florida--ooh! Osage orange (Maclura pomifera): history and economic uses. Thankfully, Osage-orange is dioecious meaning that there are both female and male trees; only female trees produce fruit. On occasion a hungry buck might eat a second. 35(1): 24-41. Although the tree grew only in a small area where Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas meet, bows of bois d'arc were found as far away as with the Blackfeet in Montana and the Iroquois in New York. DiPietrantonio, Stefano. The osage orange history is as interesting as its large, ornamental fruit. Land owners don't need them for fences. So the answer is … Smith, Jeffrey L. and Janice V. Pering. The tree also serves as a windbreak. Despite the name, Osage oranges aren’t actually oranges at all! By the 1850s, Osage orange hedges were being used to fence entire farms. I can tell you for sure they are not poisonous. But for Osage-orange there has been time enough for settlers to spread the plant from its home area over a wide region, for the living fences to grow big, and then for the trees to be considered useless, removed, and for the plant to become uncommon again. A 10% aqueous infusion and an extract diluted 1:1 have cardiovascular potentialities. The Osage orange is often trained as a hedge; when planted in rows along a boundary, it forms an effective spiny barrier. What a lot of work. The fruit are often placed in homes to repel insects, such as spiders, naturally. Historic use of Osage-orange followed the paths of European settlement on this continent, and the rise of traditional agriculture and trade. Reading through the comments and noticed a couple of comments talking about the osage orange fruit, or hedge apples, as we call them in Kentucky, being poisonous. The entwined branches were stiff enough and strong enough to hold livestock in the pasture. Today you can find it called monkey balls, monkey fruit and monkey brains, seeming to me to reflect our reaction to its big funny-looking fruit in an era when the wood is no longer in demand. … apples? Growth rate: … They are very thorny and some people get dermatitis from the sap. Last year at this time we were in a drought with the result that by January we had fed almost as much hay to the cattle as we normally fed through a whole winter. The Osage orange was a very handy tree for Native American Indians, who used it for centuries to make bows. PHOTO: FOTOLIA/SERHIY SHULLYE Containing morin, it, like old fustic. The wood is the densest native to North America. The fruit was once used to repel spiders by placing one under the bed. If you are getting rid of it, trade it to woodworkers or natural dyers. Bodark is one of the most rot resistant woods in North America and was commonly used for foundation piers and roads. Settlers discovered that if they, planted the trees close together, they would grow into a, fence. Osage orange continued to have a use in fencing. For a long time it was the only member of its genus, . Herb: Osage Orange Latin name: Maclura pomifera Synonyms: Maclura aurantiaca, Toxylon pomifera Family: Moraceae (Mulberry Family) Medicinal use of Osage Orange: A tea made from the roots has been used as a wash for sore eyes. What people usually remember about Osage-orange are the fruits. In 1810 an Osage-orange bow. crystal ; osage orange fruit and sap can cure disease and cancer ,,, from external portion to internal portion of the body … and i’m still use it on everything … and sharing with friends … i have some been bottled since 1995 … I would like to … The Osage orange tree or Maclura pomifera, produces large greenish yellow fruit that are up to 6 inches in diameter. It is often heralded as a natural insect repellent and is sometimes placed in or around the home to keep away spiders. American settlers used the Osage orange (i.e. The wood of the Osage-orange is golden yellow or bright orange when first cut, but turns brown on exposure. resists decay much better than most woods, due to an antifungal compound in the heartwood. Recently, genetic and molecular studies have recognized about a dozen relatives from around the world and added them to the genus. The Brown Thrasher, Loggerhead Shrike, and other bird species use Osage Orange for cover and nesting habitat. Other common names include: Osage-orange (Little, 1953), bodark, hedge, hedge-apple, Osage apple, … From a very limited native range at the edge of the Great Plains, Osage-orange has been spread and now reduced due to its usefulness to people and our changing needs. Burn it only very carefully. In addition to repelling insects, the fruit can be used to make decorations. Osage Orange: A Part of U.S. History Commonly used as a tree row windbreak across the prairies of America, the Osage orange served as a primary tree in President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s ambitious plan to construct the Great Plains Shelterbelt. Osage orange seeds have a nutty flavor that is reminiscent of a cross between a sunflower seed mixed with popcorn. I can’t believe you’re doing this.” He considers the remnant, neglected hedgerows elsewhere on the property, the Osage-oranges grown into trees interspersed with black walnuts, brambles, gooseberries, grasses, violets … The Osage orange, also called a hedge apple, is the fruit of a sturdy shrub. Making either a bow or a, Bois d'arc has been turned into another common name of. Magnolias! Walking Canes are made from Osage Orange. The fruit of the Osage Orange tree resembles a big, overgrown green mulberry in structure. the mulberry family, Moraceae. The wood is used for fence posts, insulator pins, treenails, furniture, and archery bows. Is a chef doing things with shaved fennel that are out of These fruit have a wrinkled texture on the outside and a fleshy inside with seeds. The fruit and wood of the Osage orange tree does contain tetrahydroxystilbene, an anti-fungicide that may deter insects. Over the last 100 years, the number of Osage-orange trees across the U.S. has declined. Although … E Mail . The Osage Orange, better than any other, tells the story of the struggle our forefathers endured as they settled the last great section of this nation -- the Great Plains. These uses are of chiefly historical interest since wood has been replaced by other materials. Searching for Osage-orange, bodark and bois d'arc on the web yields may interesting stories. They grew (and grow) successfully in all but seven states in the continental US,  and southeastern Canada. Range : Southeastern N. America - Arkansas to Texas. The tough osage orange is a small, long-lived tree with a full dense, thorny canopy and few pests. In fact, many archers consider the wood of the Osage-orange to be the world's finest wood for bows. Links to buy fruit and similar equipment in making this video below. Simple theme. One can only imagine what the attraction is. Tales of a lover of plants, history and travel. Osage orange, (Maclura pomifera), also called bowwood, French bois d’arc, thorny tree or shrub native to the south-central United States, the only species of its genus in the family Moraceae. Visiting Tierra del Fuego--A Walk on Cape Horn. Osage-orange is the common name the U.S.D.A. However, it was briefly used during the First World War as a substitute for old fustic. As famers and ranchers moved out of the East Coast into the U.S. Midwest, confining their livestock and keeping animals out of their crops were ongoing problems. And this is an osage orange, fruit of Maclura pomifera. Pinpoint your location annonymously through the Description of uses of Osage orange Maclura Pomifera as a tree, wood and fruit. We rarely appreciate how important the invention of barbed wire was. However, the seeds are somewhat edible and squirrels seem to be the only animals that use it as a food source. Clearly related to mulberries, despite its huge fruit it is classified in. your neighbors and the world! Is your market carrying green dragon So in general it was the big mature bucks feeding on the Osage Oranges. Osage Orange, also known as Bodark, has a distinctive bright yellow color that oxidizes to a golden brown. In addition to consuming the seeds, the fruits are generally kept as ornamental decoration or are used as an air freshener for a couple of weeks when stored in … Specialty Produce App and let others know about unique flavors that Powered by, is a curious native North American tree. Alleged Cancer Preventative and spider repellent. Supposedly the fruit have anti cancer properties, and a lot of people claim to have been cured of cancer by ingesting the fruit. E Mail . The light orange wood makes a strong yellow-orange dye. They’re decorative and can be a great addition to any property. The extreme heat it produces can overheat both fireplaces and stoves, possibly cracking of fireplace bricks or glass doors (see comments on. Although the Osage fruit has a pleasant odor, it is considered inedible for humans because it is mildly poisonous and eating it may cause vomiting. Osage Orange trees are also called by their French name: bois d’arc or “wood of the bow.” It wasn’t until explorers came out West that it was really discovered, though. Osage oranges are rumored to work as a pest control agent. riginally confined to the Arkansas/Texas/Oklahoma corner, Osage-orange was spread by settlers to make fences. I do not think of the history of the United States as very long. They are very distinctive: bigger than oranges, ripening to an orange color, but on the inside unappealing. Beef Filet Steak (8oz) 2pk Certified Sterling No Hook, Beef Flat Iron Steak (8oz) 2pk Certified Sterling, Beef Skirt Steak (8oz) 2pk Certified Sterling, Container Lids Deli Clear (Polypropylene), Dairy Yogurt Whole Milk Vanilla Organic Straus, Copyright © 1996-2021, Specialty Produce, All Rights Reserved | 1929 Hancock St., Suite 150, San Diego, CA 92110 | 800.221.9730 |. Uses of Osage Orange Tree The Osage orange, despite the potential litter problem, makes a smart choice for a tough hedge, a background plant and if pruned high, provides shade for the backyard. One is bois d'arc, also written bois de arc, and, "bow wood" in French. Osage Bow Staves . The Osage used Osage-orange for bows, tool handles, and war clubs. The inedible fruits contain antioxidant and fungicidal compounds. The Osage orange tree, Maclura pomifera, is a close relative of fig trees and breadfruit trees and can attain heights of up to 50 feet. With that said, what are they actually used for? Origin: South-central USA: Hardiness zone: 4,5: Size: 7-14m: Form/texture: Rounded, dense vase on short trunk. So they have been steadily removed. (The name bodark is from the French bois d'arc mean "bow wood.") They taste awful, but are not poisonous. Shop our 1 in, 2-in and 3-inch Osage Orange Wood to use for your Cutting Boards. The wood is extremely hard, heavy, tough, and durable. Usually, they would consume a single fruit. Each time through they seemed to be motivated to partake of an Osage Orange, but they never ate many at one setting. Kathleen H. Keeler. Luckily, Osage … Promoted by the likes of Illinoisans Jonathan Baldwin Turner and Dr. John Kennicott, Osage-orange was used for thousands of miles of natural fencing, crisscrossing the … There was never much of a dye industry in the United States that used Osage-orange, probably because the tree wasn't originally found on the U.S. East Coast, and by the time the middle of the continent was settled, aniline dyes had been invented. It also shrinks or swells very little compared to the wood of other trees. Usage: Reclamation, windbreak, specimen, boulevard. Cutting Board Wood. Garden friend D.G. Osage Orange, Bois D'Arc: Family: Moraceae: USDA hardiness: 4-9: Known Hazards: The milky sap can cause dermatitis in some people[200]. Various studies have found an extract of Osage orange, to repel several species of mosquitoes, cockroaches, crickets, and ticks. Though the Osage orange tree is incredibly useful for fencing, its fruit is inedible and can irritate the skin. traded for a horse and a blanket among the Plains Indians. are around them. Before that, effective fencing was desperately needed.