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yeah. so these things grow everywhere like right near my house.. they are sooo annoying and when i am hiking in the woods i almost break my ankles because there are SOOOOO many of them everywhere.

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Regarding Hedgeapples: I must say, I love the smell of citrus. I had 9 trees in my yard and cut 6 of them down, because they were a nuisance. I dreaded fall, because it was a chore to pick them all up and the trash men I'm sure didn't appreciate how heavy my trash cans were. They would get as big as grapefruits or bigger. My ex husband would put them in his hunting gear to get rid of the human scent for deer hunting and also used to keep certain critters away in my basement. Even though I miss my the shade in the summer, I won't miss picking up thousands of "balls" and raking all them leaves this fall.

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We have a very large Osage Orange Tree with trunk DIAMETER of 4-5 feet. A tree surgeon came by, and took some photos for himself, as he had never seen one as old as this one. I have never personally seen a larger one. We have some others here in Mathews Co., but they are not as large in diameter, as this one, which is a male tree. The others line a driveway for a historic 18th C. home "Poplar Grove", here in Mathews. Very hard wood. Hard to trim limbs. Thanks for the information regarding this very interresting tree. Our home is an old one, but the Osage is much older. Tom

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"brains in trees" the first time i saw the hedgeapple was 30 years ago in mid november. i turned a corner and there was a row of large trees and it looked like these brains had come from outer space and landed in these trees. there were no leaves just these things stuck in the tree. i was actually nervous about it at the time. i have since come to see that they are realativly common in southeast michigan usually around old farms.

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Just recently purchased an apartment with a garden patio. When it gets warm, it seems that at night the waterbugs come out and have fun on the patio while I have to stay stuck inside. The reason why I loved the patio so was that after work in the evenings I could wine down outside but now I can't because I have a horrible fear of anything in the roach family!!! Will a hedgeapple that is placed in an outside garden patio still be effective? I noticed that most everyone used it inside but I don't have a problem inside. Thank you!

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I brought some seeds to the UK from Ohio a couple of years ago and have actually managed to grow a Hedgeapple which has survived the British weather. I was well taken by this strange looking fruit when I walked the trails over there and was determined to try and successfully grow one. Don't know whether it's male or female yet. Great fruit, great country!

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I remember seeing Osage Oranges everywhere when I was a kid in Columbia, Maryland. I thought those green "brains' were really neat. I just thought they were something to kick on the way to school. It was my mom who told me what they really were. She is from Southern Virginia and was quite familiar with them. Now I am in my forties in Texas and I haven't seen one in the last 10 years. Is this a tree that requires cold weather? Maybe there are some in Texas up closer to Amarillo. Hmmmm.................

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Here in Chile -- what a shock -- my neighbors have hedgeapple in their fence row. I grew up with them in Iowa, and I'm curious how they got here. Oddly too, across the road are black walnut trees. Some Johnny Appleseed must be to blame. This valley is known for tomatoes and avocados and Chile has people trying out about all the world's crop plants. My wife will want to try those dried cross-sections you picture as a decorative flower. Enjoy Chilean fruit! - Bill

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i have been searching for these trees for years. i now have located a hedgeorw along a back road that had headgeapples along the road last fall. i will try to identify the tree by using your pictures on your web site. thanks for the great site and positive articles on this interesting tree. john

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Came on this page searching for the identity of a trange fruit I found growing on the roadside in Templestowe, Victoria, Australia. I note a message from Northern Victoria amongst Guest records. It would be nice to see such a large collection of messages organised in some way as I noted a familiar place name only by chance while scanning rapidly down the entries.

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I have a Question where did the Monkey tree come from? If anyone has the answer please Email it to : Mitze@comcast.net Thanks.

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I have long been familiar with the osage orange. I know it's history and uses of wood for bows, plows, etc and fruit and tree plantings used as fence rows. I have done wood work using osage orange wood. It is very hard wood and great except it expands and contracts a lot depending on moisture content. I have osage orange trees, mulberries, ches and other related fruit all in the same family. My ches are grafted on osage orange. The che fruit looks the same as osage orange except it is small, red, juicy and sweet. It also has male and female trees, except both produce fruit. They will not produce seed in the fruit without both male and female, just seedless fruit, which is good. I have tried for years to make crosses or hybrids of the osage orange and related fruit. It is not easy, I'm an engineer, not a horticulter (or speller as you see). I just like rare fruit trees and have hundreds of trees, bushes, vines, palms, etc that produce fruit from all over the world. The osage orange hybrids are small and have not produced fruit yet. My goal is to have fruit large like the osage orange, but sweet and good to eat like the che.

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I'm almost certain that we have one of these trees in our yard, but thus far my research leads me to believe that these trees are mainly found in the South West. Am I just confused?

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My remembrance of hedgeapples is when my son took me to cut some of them for firewood. I took an electric chain saw and a generator. It took all of a half hour to burn out the chain saw. It was excellent firewood. It was practically rotproof even lying on the ground. and burned with a slow, hot fire that made a few sparks. Don Kibbey

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Interesting site. But I'm rather surprised to find that Osage Orange is reputed to be (generally) native to Texas & Oklahoma. I live in Northern Virginia and we're positively overrun with them, and many of them are truly colossal! I heat my home with wood (I have a large outdoor wood burning furnace) and I’m always on the lookout for seasoned Osage Orange. It burns with a heat intensity like no other wood I’ve ever seen: usually with a blue flame! The only other wood that comes close, BTU wise, is Locust (IMHO). With respect to harvesting Osage Orange for heating fuel, I’ve found that large specimens usually exhibit a characteristic where the entirety of a major branch (or branches) seems to be “abandoned” by the main trunk in favor of new growth branches on another part of the tree. These “abandoned” branches then literally “die on the vine”. When I find such abandoned branches, I “prune” them off and use it for firewood. It’s usually perfectly seasoned, largely free of bark, and it does the tree some good. It’s the best firewood you can use.

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Can anybody tell me if breeding of the Osage Orange tree can only be accomplished by seeding? Or is there a vegetative method for reproduction of this shrub? Thanks in advance for your helpful answer!

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My parents used Hedgeapple's for years in our basement to keep crickets away. Do not laugh, it works. I now live in Texas & we have an abundance of crickets in the summer. My house will have hedgeapples for decoration's this summer., it is an necesssity here.

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Thought I'd share what happened to me a few years ago. I turned a corner and as I began accelerating, my windshield on the passenger side shattered. I stopped to see what I had hit, and I found that a hedgeapple had fallen from a tree and hit my windshield. The result looked like it had been hit with a baseball bat. Imagine trying to explain that one to the insurance company.

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I have been in love with hedgeapples for as long as I can remember. I grew up in Ohio and as kids we called them monkeyballs. We used them to throw them at whatever was handy. I now live in Kentucky and see a few of the trees along the roadsides. I own 58 lovely acres here in Kentucky so I snitched a few monkeyballs off of a roadside tree. I just planted the balls a few weeks ago - just dug some holes and threw them in. I hope they grow even though I didn't use the slurry method. Do they like sun or will they tolerate a little shade? I would love to find a ceramic one, too.

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1.is hedge apple wood good for burning in my wood burner ? 2.will it repel termites? thanks larry stitchesbyjan

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Growing up on Southeastern Oklahoma “Horse Apple” tress were common. The most common use for the apples by my friends and I was loading them with firecrackers and playing war with the improvised grenades. After a day of this and the resulting stains on my clothes it was not uncommon for my mother to teach my another use for the branches of this tree. I have a bit of a history lesson about a particular Osage Orange tree that grew in my parents yard. I would say that it has to rival the one mentioned on your page as being the biggest, fully 50-60 feet high My grandfather who mined coal across the road back in the early 1920 stated that the gentleman who lived on the place at that time, could often be found sitting under this tree smoking and drinking. He also states that the tree was as just as big then as it is now. To attest to its slow growth, back in the middle 70’s my father built me a tree house in this tree, the lumber is long since, but the nails used in the construction can still be seen sticking out of the tree, and at the same depth as when it was built 30+ years ago. Several years ago a heavy ice storm was able to break off a lower branch, when I assisted in cleaning it up I cut a cross section of this branch, took it home and sanded it smooth and counted the growth rings. They numbered over 120. On a side note the only other Osage trees I have ever seen that even came close to obtaining it size were all male thornless and fruitless, just as this one is.

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I have access to a few trees in my local area & I used them every year for my basement and garage.They work very very Great!I called them Monkey Balls!

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We found several of these trees along the newer trail parks in Logansport. The ones above the Eel River were quite mature. The ones along the Wabash River were much younger, and growing rapidly. Some new shoots are regularly over 6' long. One of them produced a crop of fruits this year. The growth is hilariously vigorous, but tends to bend over with subsequent development and fruiting. The branching is messy because there is no surviving terminal bud. We have put a lot of work into limbing them up so that people walking the trails can still see the river below the developing canopy. So far, the beaver have not attacked the trunks.

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My neighbour has one of these wonderful trees and was very curious to find out more about these interesting trees. The female tree she has is probly 35feet tall and bears hundreds of the fruit each year not knowing too much about them interested in trying to start a few anybody have pictures of sappling because i might already have accomplished growing some. thank you for your web sight and all imput from readers in guestbook. so much information to give my neighbour. I feel it might be over whelming for her being she is elderly and has limited information. Also some of you might enjoy this she was told that the trees are hard to start and some scientists had no luck in growing these trees and told her she needed a male to polinate them is that true?

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I found this site trying to prove to a friend that hedge apples are not something I made up. When I was a kid growing up in NE Kansas we would gather hedge apples near my grandparents farm. My mother would then scatter a few of the hedge apples around the basement for insect control. I don't recall how often she replaced them, but they seemed to last for quite some time in the cold dark environment.

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I have heard of the Headge apple being used for insects around houses. I remember the headgeapple tree when I was a kid back in Ky. I found them in Indiana and will try then in my home.

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I have a couple hedgeapple trees in my back yard. Come late season for deer hunting when there is not much left for the deer to eat they quickly consume the friuts if they are broken open since they are a bit big to fit in there mouth. So some quick work with a hammer or hatchet and there is plenty of open fruits. I have taken quit a few deer over hedgeapples.

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Every fall I pick one of these up and put it on my friend's car or near his house over night. It started when we were younger adults, and got a kick out of how they look, now his kids think it's funny too.

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me and my hunting party found the hedgeapples hunt this year. we asked around to many people and they didnt know what it was till we found this websit and now we know what they are. we where thinking thay where some type of brian.

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I just started studying and collecting Hedge Apples here in Shelby County Kentucky. There is a high concentration of trees in the immediate area. About three to four per wooded acre on average. They repel house flies and most other insects very well and the cent they produce seams to actually freshen the air quite a bit. Although I have found that wood mites, silverfish and some spiders don’t seam to mind them and in some cases thrive on them. If anyone needs a good source for them next summer, I can pull about 100lbs while they are in season. There was a warm spurt here and we still have many fresh hedge apples available NOW. I have about 50lbs of them left. Just send an email if you would like some shipped. **I Would like to know if anyone has found a way to extract and use the chemical the hedge apple produces.

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We live 50 miles from Yosemite National Park. The hedge apple tree is near the road that my son travels to go to school. Which is about 12 miles from our house. It is a very interesting tree. I'm so glad I could find more about it on the net.I'm going to try the dye part of it and the insect repellent aspect of it also. Thank you to all for the info. about this crazy plant. Thank you again, ps It does freeze Dru Whitener where the tree is. P.O. Box 411 North Fork, CA 93643

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For years I've wondered what the heck those green things were I see scattered around in Central Park and some of the streets here in the fall. Thank you, Mr. Hedgeapple! You've completely satisfied my curiousity; I think I'll collect a few next year and see if they'll get rid of the horrible camel crickets living in the basement.

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Found some in my brother's yard and they make great Fall decorations with other fall fruits -- apples, pomogranates etc. Now I know more. . .

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Amazing! We found these all over our property. I only remember them being thrown around when I was a kid! Didn't know they have so many wonderful uses! AND, never imagined there'd be a web-site about them!!! Thank you!

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Hello. I am a big fan of the osage. My grandfather had a hedge of it planted between a creek and his driveway to his farmhouse in Northern Indiana. That hedge is what kept the drive from being flooded and swept away every year in the spring time. One year, around 15 years ago, my father and I had to cut down one of the larger osages that had finally succumb to flooding and it's own great weight. (30 inches in diameter). That old tree blocked the drive at a 45 degree angle but was not dead by any means. So we went to work cutting it down. Numerous chain sharpenings and sparks thrown later the work was done. We kept the bulk of it for firewood. That wood has set outside in the elements for half my life now, and it is only slightly gray and still ready to burn or carve. All other firewood cords we had out in the elements that old is now glorified dirt! That osage cord still makes great carvings of statues and figures. That hedge was one of largest in Northern Indiana and Carroll county. Alas, it no longer remains in my family. But that hedge still has my heart. Lucky for me, I live next to Camp Atterbury and it has one of the largest Hedgeapple colonies in Indiana. Thanks for the time. Mike Thompson.

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This site is very educational. I learned about it through my sister's school newspaper and decided to give it a lookup. It does seem that the hedgeapple has quite a few different uses! Thanks! -Bethany

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About 15 years ago, I spied these odd green fruit on the side of the road near the Botanical Gardens in the Bronx. Quickly I veered off the road to investigate further. I filled a bag and brought several of them back to my apartment. Alas, with no tree id books at my disposal, I merely marveled at my chartreuse finds and remained curious as to there story until tonight. You see earlier today I again spied my familiar friends and welcomed them into my new abode. Armed with the internet I was determined to finally sate my curiosity and put an end to my ignorance. How charming to find osage-orange oglers abound!

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We have been interested in these trees for some time. I want to grow some of these threes. Where can I purchase the small trees to plant? I also do woodwork and would like to purchase some of the lumber for projects. It is a beautiful wood once prepared properly for benches and tables and small items. If you are interested in helping me out please reply. We live in Magnolia, Texas Thanks, Ben

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ive never seen one before today, so i went ahead and ate a piece. it actually wasnt bad, except for the milky fluid. im about to try out their pest control capabilities.

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Tried hedgeapples in the basement earlier this fall for the first time. Put one or two in each corner of the basement in late September 2006. For years we've had spiders, in particular, in the basement each fall (coming in to find a place for the winter)and they'd usually end up staying through most of the winter. This year was no exception. Spiders were in all their usual places before I placed the hedgeapples. Just checked all of their usual hiding places tonight (November 8, 2006). Spiders are completely gone! It worked for me.

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WHERE DID YOU GET THIS IDEA? LOL ROCK ON! :-)

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I pass by 2 Osage Orange trees on my way to work each day. I would like to grow few trees... Need to get more info...

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I have a hegdeapple tree in my yard I could sell someone some if you'd like.

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For me, the "use" of the hedgeapple is solely emotional. For as far back as I can remember as a child in WV, each Fall my mom would take my sister and I for a ride in the country to the special places she knew where hedgeapples grew. We collected hedgeapples, bittersweet, walnuts and hickory nuts, and long-needle pine branches, and Mom decorated the outside of our house with them. We always had a few inside as well for the glorious citrus-y aroma they gave off when they became warm. After I grew up and moved away, I always knew when I came back for a visit in the Fall, Mom would have some waiting for me to bring home. Mom died in 1995, and hedgeapples have been few and far between for me since then. In the area of WV that I moved to, and then here in eastern KY, I would ask around if anyone knew where I could find hedgeapples and folks thought I was strange. They've never heard of them. Today I was visiting in north-central KY, and there outside my friend's window was a hedgeapple tree. I came home with a bag full and a big smile on my face. For just a while, I can reminisce about my girlhood and my Mom who loved to gather "natural" decorations each Fall.

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I've used Osage Orange (hedge or bodart apple) tree fruit for years as a spider repellent. In my opinion it does work although others will say not. Maybe it's the type of spider. I have a lot of wolf spiders and hedgeapples keep them out of my storage sheds. Too bad they only last 3-4 months before rotting. Although the trees are not too common here in Michigan you can still find a few on the country roads. I have three that all produce hundreds of fruit. The last few years people stop in the middle of the night to "steal" them out of my yard to sell at craft shows and garage sales in the area. Little do they know that this is great amusement for me to see the lengths people will go to aquire these sought after fruit. If they would come to the door and ask, I would be happy to let them have as many as they want. Pretty silly,yes? If you do see a tree and want the fruit just stop and ask the farmer/landowner. It's just the polite country way. You can even find them on ebay!!! They are not difficult to grow but it is a little labor intensive to get them started. You have to let them freeze & thaw through a winter to break down the apple and let the seeds mature. Squirrels will eat any they can get at!! You can put them in a metal garbage can and mush them out in spring to make a gooky slop that you pour into a 3-4 inch deep furrow. If you are brave enough to pick the seeds out of the slop (sticky/slimy/smelly) you can plant them individually or 3-4 to a hole. They transplant easily when they get to 8 inches or so. Protect them the first year in a cold climate by covering the soil around them with a heavy layer of leaves, but after that they seem to do well anywhere. Email me in oct/nov when they are plentiful here an I'd be happy to send some out if you pay the postage. I can get 3 or 4 big ones in a USPS flat rate box that is $8.10 to ship anywhere in the US. They are heavy and could also be sent by Parcel Post by weight. Or you can also get them cheap on Ebay.

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So good to find this sight. We lived in Joliet, Illinois for the first years of life. There I learned about and saw these growing. I was surprised to find them at an arboretum in Lansing, Mi this past weekend. Now I can share with my children.

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I LOVE HEDGE BALLS!!!!!!!!!

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OK IF ANY U GUYS WANT BUY HEDGE APPAL I GOT LIKE HUNDREDS0 OF THE THINGS OUTSIDE OF MY HOME THEY ARE GROWINT EVERYWHERE AND I CANNOT STOP THEM. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATE. I CANNOT EVEN DRIVE UP MY OWN DRIVEWAY DUE TO THE FEAR OF RUNNING THEM OVER. THESE THINGS ARE SURELY SATAN'S OFFSRPING. PLEASE HELP ASAP CALL AT 660-668-3447

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IN TX. THE HEDGE APLLE IS KNOWN AS AN 'HORSE APLLE', ALSO AS A BODARK TREE, IS THIS TRUE. WAITING FOR REPLY

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I am interested in purchasing trees. Can I get information for ordering?

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We found a strange looking green fruit today that I've never seen before. We brought it home and started to search the internet. I think we've found a hedge apple. Very interesting!

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I bought some osage oranges at the farmer's market in Detroit. I think they are a beautiful curious fruit. I was first introduced to them many years ago by a local witch, who was the mother of a friend. The witch did not claim they had any magical powers, but liked the "monkey brain" look of the fruit. In many years of gardening, this was the first time I had seen them for sale. I was surprized to find that they are suppost to repell spiders. i will find out, spiders like to move into my house every fall. Is there any way to keep the fruit fresh for a longer time? I like the way they look.

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I recently was introduced to the hedgeapple. My son calls it the brain tree. We were excited to find out so much from your website. I wish I had brought home more.

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I been around these trees all my life. I am 44 and for atleast for the first 30 years all I ever heard these trees call were mock orange trees. Has anyone else heard them called that before.

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WOW! Who knew anyone else cared so much about all those big green things falling off the trees all over around here! Fascinating to see a whole site dedicated to them! Too bad you can't eat them!

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I am sorry to say that I do have something against Hedgeapples although not until three days ago! I was on my way home, going my usual way and suddenly the sky fell down!! My windshield was hit by two of the aforementioned fruits and consequently smashed!! I could not believe that so much damage was done by such innocent looking objects but I am now going to be out of pocket more than $300!!

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I grew up in Oklahoma and I have good meries of a bowark tree accross the road where we all played . I moved to tenn. in 75 did not see a one till I moved to t county so I am going to try to raise some . wish me luck

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I live on 32 acres in Bruce/Romeo, Michigan with a couple of those trees on it. If anyone is interested in any apples for a small price let me know.

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How do I dry the fruit from the Osage Orange Tree? The dogs think they are balls. Beautiful fruit or hedgeapple.

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Does anyone know if it is legal to send hedgeball seeds overseas? Thankyou.

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Have always loved the unique character of this tree and its fruit!!! I am trying to get in touch with a builder that is about to bulid 30 houses in an area that has 5-6 very big trees!! My intuition says that there is more to this tree then is commonly known. The brain shape of its fruit might be a doctrine of signatures to uses other then repellent. Noticed one women mentioned using it for arthritis. Was wondering which part was used and how. Does anyone know of any other medicinal folk uses!?

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Read about your site in the "Critter Ridder" book. Had a time with spiders on my patio but did not know where to get the hedge apples and some friends got them for me on their trip to Three Rives, Mi. They said they stopped on the road and picked them up. So anxious to see if this will do the trick as I had tried pennyroyal oil and water. Loved your site and will share with others.

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HI, I WAS DOWN IN KNOXVILLE,TENN. LAST WEEK AND FOUND SOME APPLES ACROSS FROM MY SISTERS HOUSE.I GATHERED ABOUT A BUSHEL BEFORE I CAME BACK TO OWENSBORO.I HAD HEARD THAT THEY GET RID OF UNWANTED BUGS. OUR NEIGHBOR HAS A ROACH PROBLEM SO THAT MEANS THAT WE HAD SOME ROACHES TOO.WE TRIED EVERY ROACH KILLER KNOWN TO MAN,AND NOTHING SEEMED TO HELP.WHEN I BROUGHT THEM HOME FRIDAY AFTERNOON,I SET THE BASKET OF THEM IN OUR BACK ROOM.THAT NIGHT MY FREIND PUT THEM OUT IN BOWLS ALL OVER THE HOUSE.SATURDAY MORNING THERE WAS DEAD AND SICK ROACHES ALL OVER THE PLACE.GUESS THEY WERE HIDING IN THE WALLS.NEVER KNEW WE HAD SO MANY.GAVE ME THE CREEPS!!!!! SO BELEIVE YOU ME THEY WORK!!!HTE MOST WONDERFUL THING TO HAPPEN TO ME IN A LONG TIME.AND TO THINK OF ALL THE MONEY WE SPENT ON ALL OF THAT ROACH KILLER.I AM GOING TO TAKE SOME OF THE SEEDS FROM THESE APPLES AND TRY TO START SOME TREES.I WAS ON THIS SIGHT CHECKING IF THESE APPLES WERE POISIONOUS,WHICH THEY ARE NOT,BECAUSE WE HAVE A FEW DOGS,AND THOUGHT I WOULD LET YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT HOW GOOD THEY ARE.WISH THEY WERE IN SEASON ALL YEAR LONG.SEE NATURE WILL HELP YOU IF YOU KNOW HOW TO LET IT.THANK YOU GOD FOR THESE TREES. SHEILA ANN RAINS

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We recently moved into our refinished farm home and have been having troubles with spiders and insects! So we have collected some hedgeapples and placed them around, we'll see how it goes. Great web site, thanks so much for the info!!

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I have a question, I have heard that hedgeapples are great for deterring all types of pest. The city I live in we have an overwhelming problem with a particular species of pest. I am not sure if you have heard of them before, however I would love your feed-back. I am not sure if hedgeapples would work on such peskey creatures such as these. I have my doubts because the Osage Orange trees are I believe native to my area. Yet these pest run rampant throughout the area. Is there a secret, do the "apples" need to be sliced to boost the effectiveness of them. Possible milked or pureed. Would cutting the apple or chopping it up make the deterrent more or less effective. Several local pest control establishment are not sure if they can effectivly spray for them or not, partly because no one is sure where they came from. We are currently trying to figure out what catagory to put them in. I will try to describe them to you, possible you have seem something around like them or you may be able to identify them. They are long slinder little devils with unporportionaly large heads. They seem to take thier time when scurring about, however curiously they cant or dont travel in a straight line. They must have a strong sense of direction because they do not seem to be deterred when an object pops up in between them and their destination. They could care less of the size of the obstacle, as they will travel over or through it (be it a street curb or a house). They seem to be dark or black in color, no exoskeleton, no wings, huge beady eyes, and when agitated they seem to emit an offensive odor. No one is sure where they lay eggs or if they even lay eggs, what is for certain is they most definatly reproduce. An entomologist at our local university has done much research with less then encouraging findings. He has studied the organisms and is purplexed. "I have never in 25 years of study found or encountered such a mysterious little being such as these guys." He thinks that while native to sub-serian Africa some how they migrated here possible due to cargo ships and planes importing goods to the midwest. Though he is not sure of the scientific name he has a hunch they may be nicknamed Somalians. If you have heard of how to deter them or think that your product will help please contact me. If hedgeapples will work we will take all you have!!! Thanks Tim Flouger

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Passed by a tree in the town of Zurich, Switzerland, Europe, one late evening last week after a heavy autumn weather. Found the fruits spread on the pavement and brought them home. Never seen such wonderful green balls. Then, with help of US-websites I got a bit wiser. Google: trees +identification +by fruit. Visited the the tree by sunny daylight. It's a wonderful tree on a hilly site in the middle of the town. In German it's usually called "Milchorangenbaum". Thank you for your great homepage and all the best wishes for your Maclurae pomiferae. (I was on my way home from the latin lesson.) Esther, Oct 7, 2006

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I have been using Hedgeapples for the past few years for spider control. Amazing, they work. 1 per room, they last a few months, but have had zero spiders for a whole year. Just learned something new from this site: Hedgeapples also work on fleas. I will be trying this one myself, as I have had a flea problem all year. I'll get back with the results very soon.

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Can anyone please tell "when" an osage orange will produce fruit. I have several small trees app 6yrs old and am curiuos when I might get fruit? Do you need a male/female relationship? I am hoping I will actually get a corp before I am gone!!!

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is it ok to eat hedge apples as a medician I have been told it is good as a cancer cure thanks

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I FOUND AN HEDGE APPLE TREE AND THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE TO TURN SOME BOWLS AND OTHER THINGS OUT OF IT AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL PIECES. CONTACT ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

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I have a very old tree like this on my property. Something eats the green balls from it. I am wondering if it is deer. A very long time ago I tried to cook some of these and got as far as adding the sugar to them. They smelled horrible ! I had to throw pan and all away. I am glad to know they are good for something. My tree has thorns on it too. One time I spelled BOO ! with them out front for the kids to see for Halloween.

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Having recently aquired about 3,000 feet of rough cut osage orange was wondering if anyone has ever made tonque and groove flooring from this pretty wood. Thanks

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I have to say this website is very very kewl! After a bit of web surfing I finally came apon this awesome site. The osage orange trees are a fascinating study of nature for sure. Terrible thorns though, and the strongest wood I have ever encountered. My whole family got into checking out the info, very interesting stuff. One of the best sites, probably the best, on the osage orange trees. Thanks for sharing all that very kewl info with the world. I will spread the word about the facts, like the seeds are not poisonous, a silly rumor that my neighbors told me! Peace!

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We believe (my spouse and myself) that the hedgeapple doesn't truly repel bugs and spiders, but actually draws spiders! which get rid of the bugs! One year we had one under our bed and had a gazillion spider webs everywhere. As I cannot stand spiders, we've never used one since. A family friend had a bucket of them on her backporch and it was full of spider webs. The tree that we got them off of had huge spider webs in it also. Just a theory! R

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I have several Hedgeapple trees (that's what we call them) :) in my backyard. If anyone wants me to send some to them, email me--I'll sell them to you cheap (just shipping charges)-- jenye@cox.net. We just had a good windstorm and they are all over my backyard. Also, is there a good way to use them to get rid of spiders?? Thanks!!

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can anyone tell me where i can get some of these hedgeapples in the harrisburg pa area. Several people have said to go to a grocer and ask or to an orchard. Everyone looks at me funny when i ask for the items. Help!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Y'all are yankees if you call em hedgeapples. Theyre bois d'arcs thats French for bow wood & the trees are native here on th Red River drainage. If you want to get technical the "horseapple" is actually a multiple (same as a mullberry) It agravates me to here people call Osage Oranges hedgeapples they dont grow in rows down here (just grow every were) They're my favorite tree of all.

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I currently have in the far back corner of my yard a Hedge Apple Tree that is approximately 14 feet in circumference and approximately 60 feet tall. I was told, and I'm not sure of the accuracy, but the tree is close to 80 years old. The first year that we moved in to the house (2003) I picked up (by count) just short of 3,000 hedge apples. They were small in comparison to last year. I could sit in my back yard and hear them with a resounding thud when they hit the ground. I had one that weighed a shade short of 4 pounds. I harvested approxi- mately 1200 last year. I was told that the reason for the increase in their size and the drop in number was because of our higher than normal rainfall. In all honesty I am not very happy about the hedge apples but the tree is a sight to behold. It sits there like a big brute, all gnarled and massive.

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I just recently saw my first hedgeapple tree! I picked the fruit up off the ground and brought it to my husband (we thought it was a pear or apple tree). We were initally afraid of the fruit...it looked like a diseased apple to us. After some research we discovered it's real identity. This particular tree was found on the grounds of Eden Hall Plantation in Troy, South Carolina and it appears to be very old. The house was built in the 1850's and the tree may have been planted then. The tree was about 40 feet tall and quite big around, although I could have reached my arms around it, but just barely. We fell in love with the tree and would like to plant some around the home that we are now building. Please, Please, Please let us know if you have any saplings to sell. Thanks

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Hi We have the biggest hedge apples we have ever seen and we would be glad to sell them. We have lots of them for sale around $1 a piece if anyone is interested just email us at kppmitchell@elkhorn.net and tell us how many. You will have to pay the ship[ping also but we can send as many as anyone would want They are great for natural bug repellent adn spider control in and around your house

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Gotta love the Osage Orange and there are lots to see where I'm at in Michigan. Osage Orange is my favorite wood for longbows and is absolutely beautiful! Thanks for the detailed webpage, lots of great info here.

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CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHERE I CAN PURCHASE HEDGEAPPLES OR FIND THEM IN NORTHEAST TENNESSEE.

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I'm just becoming acquainted with the osage orange, and I'm amazed at its unique characteristics when shaped and cured for use in bow making, ship timbers and struts, walking sticks, and any other project requiring a very strong and sturdy wood; ..... and the list can go much farther. . .... rpc from Pennsylvania

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Made a trip out to a town about an hour west of Tulsa, Pawnee, and saw these trees for the first time. It was winter, and they looked black and twisted, like some kind of Wicked Witch of the West tree from Wizard of Oz. So I "Liberated" an apple from my friends house, and planted it when I got home. I had no idea if it would sprout or not. The following spring, it shot up like a rocket. That was 2.5 years ago, now it's about 4 feet high. I am hoping when it matures, it will be the female, and will have the apples on it. Or Osage Orange as we call it down here in Okie land. If so, I will try the bucket slurrie deal, and try to make a fence out of them in the near future. Just for the thrill of doing it. Don't really need a fence.

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i love telling all my native plant purists that the two trees i'm most gratefull to have planted on my property were japanese larch and osage orange. both grow fast, tolerate climatic fluctuations well, and outcompete the tremendous surface vegetation in our damp loamy soils (much of that vegetation is introduced btw, purists) early after transplanting. now i planted many native trees and shrubs as well, especially ones underrepresented in the wild (viburnums, deciduous bigleaf magnolias, et al) so im not beligerantly trying to upset the ecology - far from it. but ill never apologize for a single stray maclura seedling on a neighbors property. besides, we have multiflora roses and nothing short of kudzu, which we dont have (oh please never that!), could be as obnoxious. as far as macluras go, they are maybe the best investment choice for a single tree species avilible. see ive got a hunch/hope that the super durable and remarkably beautiful wood of these trees will eventually trump sugar maple and red oak as soon as HGTV and martha stewart recommend osage furniture. even better, deer never have eaten one of my maclura seedlings, though the dogs have chewed a few for reasons unknown to me (maybe a cainine toothpick?) deer do eat the fruits, as well as squirrels and of course, black bear. bear will eat walnut husks and skunk cabbage tooso i guess the osage orange juice is not so bad in comparrison. better still is the king of firewood status of this remarkable tree. best to burn it in a stove or furnace rather than fireplace as it does pop like firecrackers. at 32million btus per cord it is the hottest thing buring, short of coal. actually i have terrified a few people i know in the coal industry with this. check it out....anthracite coal burns at about 25million BTU's per ton. Osage burns at 32-33 million BTU's per cord, which is about 4400lbs, or 2.2 tons. So anthracite does take up less space than osage, and also burns a bit hotter 25 million BTU's per ton compared to Osage's 15 million. BUT -- an osage orange tree can go from seed to firewood in about 10 years (15 max), if pruned for several large branches. And how long does it take to produce coal?? Oh and how much does it cost to extract coal?? Plus Osage grows abotu anywhere in continental US, is relatively pest free, and has other aformentioned uses. See, Osage is better business!

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My wife and I are seriously thinking of ordering some Hedge Apples to help fight insects in our house. Some questions -- how long do they last in the home after you cut them open and how do you store them whole and how long do they last if they haven't been cut open? Any information would be great. Thanks! (feel free to email me with the answer if you'd like)

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Hi, I am from Spartanburg, S.C. and my Mother has a Hedgeapple tree growing across the street from her house. My family has lived there for over 30 years and the tree has been there since we moved in. When we discovered the tree and it's odd fruit we had NO CLUE what it was, they are not common in our area. The other day my Mom took some of the fruit to show a friend and she started to research it and found this site and so I decided to look it up and see for myself. I am so happy to actually find out what it is. I even took the fruit to school as a child and no one knew what it was... The land that the tree is on is being cleared and we are scared it will be cut down, do you think there is anything that can be done to save the tree? Thanks, Tina

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Great site. I will bookmark for my sons to view as well!!!

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I grew an Osage Orange tree from seeds. The tree is now thirty one years old and bore many fruit up to three years ago when I had to severally trim it to repair my garage roof and since hasn't borne any more hedgeapples . This year it's different, I can see one, only one, hedgeapple growing which make me glad and maybe next year I'll have a bumper crop. I have read that there are male and female trees, but what I can't understand is that if I had a single tree and it bore fertile seeds, which I planted and tried to plant elsewhere but all got lost to lawn mowers, how was it fertelized with no other Osage Orange trees in the vicinity? Unless there are bisexual trees too. What is the answer?

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I had heard about Bodart apples keeping bugs away, We went to Lake Texhoma on a fishing trip and saw the trees in the ditches along side the road. Know they must not need special care, we stopped and gathered a few of the apples, to take home. discovered right away.... they leave a stain on clothing that doesn't come out. would make a good dye. Put the apples under the house.. seemed to stop ants and roaches but not sure. The weather may have helped in the changes.

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Anyone out there wanting some cheap hedge balls, come and get it. The hedge ball causes me alot of work as my cattle eat them causing big health problms. Call me on my at 785-945-6889. I have alot of hedge ball bearing trees on my ranch. Leave message if i'm not there.

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I was in Muscle Sholes Alabama for a golf tournament and on the tee box of the 14th hole I noticed this ugly fruit type ball on a tree. I picked one and tried to crack it open by throwing it on the cart path but, could not open it. My husband ask what if it is poison and now you have it all over your hands. I said maybe not and washed my hands. I ask a lady who is a member of the golf club what it was and that is how I found out it was a Hedgeapple. I had never heard of it. I plan to try and grow some of these in Trafford, Alabama.

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I would like to buy some trees but I don't know who to contact. Can someone help me please? maryangelhorse@peoplepc.com

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Have an Osage Orange tree in my front yard and doing some research on the ugly fruit. I would like to know how to get them to keep until Christmas. I have seen them used during Christmas.

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I grew up with Hedge Apples in the backyard... I love them but can't explain why! A few years ago I saw a ceramic hedgeapple at an outdoor antique show and almost bought it... I have regretted not buying it ever since. I have been looking for a similar item since then.... Aarrgggghhh!!! Does anyone out there know where I might find such a unique item? I found one site where you can buy plastic ones, but I'd really like something a little more chic (a medium more befitting of the wondrously bumpy neon green orbs - smile). Please send me an email at mara8@mail.com with any leads. Thanks in advance!

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HI! I'm a Missouri native now residing in the UK. I am seeking hedgeapples to attempt propogating a few trees for use as hedging on my land. Can anyone help with info on the success and method of starting from seed? Enjoyed your site! Thanks!

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I just purchased 2 Hedge apples here in Wisconsin. I never heard of them and I wanted to try to see if they would get rid of Spiders and Crickets in our basement. Pretty interesting comments.

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Monkey balls are the best things ever!!!

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Learned all about Hedgeapples while living in Zanesville Ohio. Found several trees near Glen Cove Long Island. Looking for some near ?Glens Falls Lake George area????

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Osage Orange is extremely musical (right up there with rosewood). We have produced steam bent snare drum shells that are musical and gorgeous.

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I too am trying to grow Osage Orange in Arizona. I live at 7000' in zone 5. I started with 24 seeds in April and now have 11 seedlings. If these work would like to hedge my entire 2 acres. My biggest problem is the 40MPH wind. Sure hope they like rocky dry clay soil.

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Being a Central Kansas 'Lifer', I've known hedge apples since the day I was born. I grew up using them as bowling balls, baseballs and throwing them against trees to see how long it would take to split one. I also know they can be used as a doorstop and of course, cricket control. Now that I'm an adult they've become a pain in the rear to mow around and I have found that the variety of tree that produces 5-7 inch thorns can be lethal! On a more pleasant note...as an avid bow hunter, my husband and I have found that hunting in a Hedge grove is awesome. Not only do the trees provide good cover when we're hunting from the ground but the aroma from the hundreds of trees and fruits is wonderful. It's a delicate but all encompassing smell. I love it! ** I saw a program this morning of the gentleman touting hedge apples as bug control. He said animals don't eat them. I am dismissing that statement as my husband and I have witnessed numerous squirrels and white tail deer munching on them during the fall. **

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I was amazed to stumble on this site. I saw my first Hedgeapples about five years ago somewhere in Tennessee. It was on a civil war battlefield where my husband and I were walking down a country lane. The were all over the place on the ground. My husband teased me saying as a country girl from SE Texas, near Houston, surely I'd seen them before. I hadn't. He called them "bodart apples". We both grew up in small towns northeast of Houston and, when I've mentioned the name "bodart apple" to other people, they know exactly what I'm talking about. I haven't seen any in this area since I learned they existed, but I'm very curious to know more... especially since I've learned from this site that they have the ability to repel spiders, etc. I'm also looking forward to reading all the posts here to learn more. Great website!! Thank you!!

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I heard that they make bug go away. I'm trying it out.

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I was interested to read the e-mail from Eureka, KS. I was born in Wichita,KS, but we lived in Eureka until I was 6 years old, When we moved to Wichita during WWII. I lived in Wichita thur college. We lived about 1 block from the nearest "hedgeapple" hedge row. This was an area where I spent many an hour playing. I have fond memories playing around them. As a teenager I had heard that they made great bows. I tried to make one, but couldn't find a suitable piece, the one that I chose had bird shot buried in the wood. It was Hard too! In my 8th grade science class we had to prepare a cross section of wood as we were studing annual rings/tree age. I was able to cut a cross section in a limb about 3" in diameter and 2" long. It was a beautiful piece of wood, white near the bark changing to orange toward the center. We had to shellac the top and apply felt to the bottom for a paper weight. I hope you will forgive me for cutting this section from the tree. I believe that my teacher told me that the true name of the tree was Osage Orange. The annual event in Eureka must be something new, since I often made trips to Eureka over the years until I was 30 years old. In 1968 I moved to NW WA, since then I have seen no Osage Orange trees, although I read in the info you have, that there are trees in WA. I awakened this morning thinking about these unusual trees while thinking about bows and thought about finding something about them on the Internet. Sure enough your site was there! Keep up the good work, you never know who would like to know more about this unusual tree.

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I found a hedgeapple tree out in the woods in Albion,Mi and I knew what they did for spiders and insects. They really do work. If someone is interested in some, drop me a e-mail and I will see what I can do.

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Apparently I'll be the first one to try and grow Osage Orange trees in Arizona, lol wish me luck!!

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Come one, come all and chuck a hedgeball! I’d like to invite everyone to our 2nd Annual Hedgeball Chunkin Festivial. The event will be held on Oct 7th, 2006 in Eureka, Kansas. Come see trebuchets, air cannons and catapults battle for the $1000 first prize! There will be food, music, kids games, lodging and RV hook-ups. For more information and a sign-up form, call (620) 583-8640 or e-mail hedgeball@eurekakansas.com. Leah Booth, Event coordinator, Eureka Foundation, PO Box 247, Eureka, Kansas 67045

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When I was a child my father used to put hedgeapples in our basement to rid of the spiders and bugs, never did too much for the selamanders though. I think they were still there when I was grown. Needless to say, after I was maried, I also tried this living in a mobil home in Missouri and never had any problems with spiders, roaches or any ants. I put them under the sink in the kitchen , under the sink in the bathroom, and under the trailer itself. Does anyone know if these work for snakes? This is a wonderful site, thankyou.

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I FIRST SAW ONE IN DAYTON, WA LAST NOV AT MY AUNT SHARON AND UNCLE CLARENCE'S HOUSE, DOES ANY ONE KNOW WHERE I CAN GET SOME IN SOUTHERN CALIF. I WANT TO TEST TO SEE IF THEY REALLY REPELL SPIDERS AS WE HAVE LOTS OF BLACK WIDOWS HERE. THEY WILL ALSO MAKE A NICE CENTERPIECE FOR THE TABLE IN THE FALL.

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I know nothing about Hedgeapples (maybe now that I've found the site I'll learn) but I was floored by the name "Judy Husick" since that was my maiden name and Husick is most certainly not a common one. Where are you from originally? do you know the names of any of your ancestors? I'm always looking to find out more about my family. Thanks

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Where can I get a few Osage Orange female trees?

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I saw Greg's comment to a person who had land with old osage orange that had not been touched in 30 years that if they wanted to get rid of it to spray it with chemicals, etc and I almost had a coronary! Please don't do this--I'm looking for mature Osage Orange and Black Locust for veneer purposes. No, I'm not a glutton for punishment. I just like the woods and would like to start offering them as veneer for cabinets, flooring, and furniture. If they are indeed as plentiful as they sound, and if they can be made as beautiful as some techniques that I have heard of, I look forward to working with them more. I have a portable sawmill and would like to speak with anybody who has mature trees. In addition to Osage Orange and Black Locust I also work with pine for lumber and Oak, Cherry, and other hardwoods for cabinets, flooring, and furniture. Please contact me via email if you have a forest you'd like to clear and turn into lumber and veneer! David P.S. Great web site!

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My husband was watching TV this morning and heard about the hedge apple. Ya see, he's quite afraid of spiders and this gentleman said to put hedge apples in your closets and no more spiders. I have read through your guestbook and found out some very interesting things and some unexplained things. It seems that you should split the fruit to repel insect. Am I right? Also our house is setting up on cinder blocks and I was wondering if you count split them and just throw them up under the house and get good results for all insects. Also, I would like to know what to do with them when they go bad. Just simply through them away or let them dry up first. I would like to plant a tree but am afraid after reading some of the comments that that might not be such a good idea since they grow big and are thorny. Also some people called them hedges and some trees. Are there two kinds or do they start out as hedges and grown into trees? If anyone has the answers to my questions, I would grea ly appreciate your information. I will keep looking back on this guestbook or you could email me at foster1956@peoplepc.com. And please do not give out my email address to just anyone, I have enough trouble as it is with spam. Thank you so very much for this site and for everyone's comments.

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We are absolutely, positively interested and ready

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I just been reading some of your guestbook, about hedgeapples. I would like to know where I can get some.

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What kind of market is there for thornless male and female Osage Orange trees? I could graft young trees if people want to buy them. One gallon size or smaller so that shipping would not be a killer.
Name: Ruth
Location: Lake Milton, OH
Date: February 21, 2006, 5:30 pm
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I just been reading some of your guestbook, about hedgeapples. I would like to know where I can get some.

Name: Stephen
Location: Mid-NH
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What kind of market is there for thornless male and female Osage Orange trees? I could graft young trees if people want to buy them. One gallon size or smaller so that shipping would not be a killer.

Name: Sue B
Location: Decatur, IL
Date: Feb 9, 2006
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I grew up on the edge of a field and woods and a beautiful hedge row. We even had tree houses in these hedge trees. We played in this wonderful woods of mainly hedge trees edging open fields and creeks. We had hedgeapple fights. The knarley beauty of these trees will always be special to me, I love the smell and the way the trees become a tunnel over a path. We called one path "the old bus" and everyone believed a bus rotted there because of the shape. Hedge trees will even grow sideways, it's amazing and so beautiful. Now the "nativists" (too much school and not enough time in the woods I'd say) want to remove them and make prairies and savannas. They are calling them invasive and exotic!!! I have a different opinion as to who is invasive. Our conservation district is cutting down hedge trees, using my tax money!! I am just sick over this and it has ruined my walks in the woods with God because I am too angry to find the peace I used to find when I see these beautiful areas being torn up. They are killing the very things I love most about Illinois woodlands. Please help stop this!!

Name: Rebecca
Location: Christiansburg,VA
Date: Feb 6, 2006
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Often older locals call this tree a Brain Fruit tree. We had a hard time identifying the real name. We have a Hugh tree across the street and every fall it causes a lot of trouble as the large fruit fall on passing cars. People often stop to investigate the fruit. This tree can draw a lot of attention and is a great conversation piece.

Name: s. blanton
Location: sylva, nc
Date: Feb 1, 2006
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I grew up in Murphy, NC and have fond memories of the osage orange tree that stood in the middle of an old graveyard across the street from my house. My sisters, friends, and I had a blast tossing them down the steep hill beside the graveyard. We would have contests to see who could throw them the farthest. The tree has since been chopped down, and I have yet to see another. I would really like to grow one for future generations. Does anyone know how to get a sapling?

Name: Douglas
Location: Greater Louisville, KY
Date: Jan 27, 2006
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I picked one up last fall in front of a cave by McNeely Lake. I just sat it out in an open field behind my house and the process of decay pretty much worked enough that I was able to get a few seeds out just the other day. It's really simple!::::

Name: Bryan
Location: Kentucky
Date: Jan 20, 2006
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Dont lie everybody knows that they arent called hedgeapples they are testicle fruits. And the reason they were created was to throw at signs. You all should not sell testicle fruits all you have to do is shake a testicle tree and they fall out.

Name: liz
Location: tinley park , IL
Date: Nov 28, 2005
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At first I was told by a woman that the hedgeapples had a nut in the middle of it. So yes my husband tryed to cut and cut it in half, finaly after he broke the knife, only to find no nut! We did find out the correct use of the hedgeapple and it works well every late fall my boys and I go on the hunt to get the apples, we have so much fun and end up with to muck so we give more than half away. the hedge apple workes won

Name: Dan
Location: Stony Point, NY
Date: Nov 27, 2005
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Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I have found hedge apples while hiking through long-abandoned communuties in my area. Every time I've brought them back with me, no one has had any idea what they are. I finally came across your site and learned something new. Thanks.

Name: Tom Hoehler
Location: Louisville, KY
Date: Nov 26, 2005
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Great site! I always wanted to know the proper name for these things. Old timers around Louisville call them horse apples. I am trying to get rid of an infestation of spider crickets in my garage. I have put four hedge apples around the garage floor, I'll let you know if they help.::Regards,::Tom

Name: Steve McPhail
Location: Upland, Indiana
Date: Nov 24, 2005
Comments:
Great site !!Lots of good info!! I am a storyteller and I do Johnny Appleseed "in Character" at Events throughout the Midwest from Chicago to Pittsburgh.I talk about hedgeapples during my presentations. My e-mail is johnny_appleseed1774@yahoo.com

Name: Orv Lehman
Location: Linville Va
Date: Nov 23, 2005
Comments:
Hey not fair,I like spiders and insects.:: We have lots of Osage trees here in Va. :: They line the roads where early people used them as fence rows.:: I've often wondered if they'll break a car windshield if one drops on a car while driving under a tree.

Name: Skeezicks
Location: Union, MO
Date: Nov 23, 2005
Comments:
Just picked up a fresh supply during Deer Hunting season to keep the spiders away in the basement. It is interesting to find out about the hedgeapple--my Co-Landowner and I have been arguing over whether they actually keep spiders away. I say they do from past experience hanging them in mesh bags from the rafters in the basement.::::

Name: L. Schrader
Location: Iowa
Date: Nov 22, 2005
Comments:
I took someones advice about putting hedge apples in your basement to ward off spiders and now I'm absolutely infested with FRUIT FLIES!!!! I kept finding them upstairs and couldn't figure out where they were coming from and the other day I went downstairs and picked up a hedge apple that was brown to dispose of and the fruit flies just swarmed around it. I checked the others and they were swarming as well. I couldn't get them in a garbage bag fast enough!!! I'd rather have the spiders than the fruit flies.

Name: Joi & Erica Houser
Location: Chicago Il.
Date: Nov 20, 2005
Comments:
Thanks for all of the wonderful information. With-out you we would be lost!::This wonder is to be a science fair project for 6 year old Joi!

Name: Mary Sullivan
Location: Raleigh, NC
Date: Nov 19, 2005
Comments:
Attended a funeral in Chapel Hill, NC last weekend and discovered many Osage oranges under a tree in the old churchyard. A Southern friend told me they were "monkey brains" and that his Mother used them in the house to make the air smell clean. Because I love chartreuse green and anything textured, I immediately scooped up several and brought them home to use in a white bowl on the dining room table. They will be part of my Thanksgiving table centerpiece. Now, having found this web site, I know a lot more about these amazing fruits and will be on the lookout for more trees and fruits in my immediate area.

Name: ERICA HOUSER
Location: CHICAGO, IL
Date: Nov 17, 2005
Comments:
I AND THE KIDS WERE VERY EXCITED TO LEARN ABOUT THESE WONDERFUL FRUITS!::SIX YEAR OLD JOI THANKS YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE INFORMATION, BECAUSE WITH OUT::IT; SWOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO HER SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT!

Name: CAROL NELSON
Location: COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA
Date: Nov 16, 2005
Comments:
I AM TRYING MY FIRST HEDGEAPPLES TODAY. I HOPE THEY WORK TO KEEP THE SPIDERS AWAY.

Name: Boris Spektor
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Date: Nov 13, 2005
Comments:
I am using Hedgeapple for the treatment arthritis during 30 years. Osage Orange is very good for this disease.

Name: Jenni Lea
Location: Maryland
Date: Nov 11, 2005
Comments:
All I have to say is WOW! This site is amazing. Hedgeapples are one of God's greatest creations, next to humans, of course. Well, I just wanted to leave this quick note...now I have to get back to making my hedgeabpple flower basket! Thanks for the great idea! ;)

Name: Miles
Location: Ks
Date: Nov 10, 2005
Comments:
We live in the ground floor of this old apartment with sudden infestation of roaches and mice/mouse. As far as mice or mouse goes, we have a cat to chase and catch them but when it comes to roaches, nothing has been worked to get rid of it, manager comes in every month to sprinkle some boric acids but its like candy to roaches. Now we got hedge apples on the counter, under sink, and in the cabinet, well, we see more roaches now. I kill at least of 20roaches a day big and small. What am I doing wrong? Somebody please help our sanity from roaches!!! We are afraid that kids will get them in their ears!!!

Name: JOHN H COOK SR
Location: ORANGEBURG, SC 29118
Date: Nov 8, 2005
Comments:
I first spotted these strange looking things at the base of a tree in TN while touring a Confedrate Battle site in 2004. I was taking pictures of a stack of cannon balls and someone had created a similar stack of these crazy green "things". I was going to get one and bring it back and have someone identify it. Being on Gov't property I decided not to take a chance.::::This year, 2005, I traveled to Gettyburg,PA ,Harpers Ferry,WV and several other Confedrate sites. I stayed in the town of Berkely Springs,WV. While enroute to one of the sites I saw this "strange" item again in the road. I stopped and saw a tree about thirty yards up the side of a hill. I found a place to park and climbed up the hill and gathered a dozen and brought them home. ::::One lady at a fruit stand told me they were PAW PAW fruit, but she wasn't sure. But for $2.50 I could have five. After I returned home I hit GOOGLE and found this site. I gave two away to local Nursery's and they had no idea what they were and but they were going to find out. I told them I knew, but they could do their own research. ::::You have a great site, and if someone reads this and comes up twelve Headapples short, come to SC and I'll pay you for them.

Name: Smitty
Location: New York, NY
Date: Nov 7, 2005
Comments:
To the reader who asked about getting Osage Oranges in New York: You can get them at Prospect Park in Brooklyn for free! There are a lot of trees there that bear the fruit.

Name: Chris Morrison
Location: Southside, TN.
Date: Nov 6, 2005
Comments:
I have several of these beatiful trees in close proximity of my property. The deer seem to love them. I will be testing their insect repelling qualities this year. My children and I collected about a dozen today.

Name: Charles and Lacey
Location: Arlington, VA
Date: Nov 6, 2005
Comments:
Hi,::Thanks for your website! We were in Shenandoah national park today and it was a gorgeous Indian summer day....and we saw the fruit and had no idea what it was. ::::Many thanks for clearing up our confusion!::Lacey and Charles

Name: Cindy Adam
Location: Whitmore Lake, Michigan
Date: Nov 6, 2005
Comments:
We saw these weird fruit all over the road near a new subdivision. I stopped and picked them up. I am so glad I found this website because I had no idea what these things were. I am planning to go get more and try to get them to grow in my yard. Thank you Mr. Hedgeapple!

Name: Teresa
Location: WV
Date: Nov 6, 2005
Comments:
It wasn't until we had an invasion of ladybugs that we put some osage ornages on the rafters of the back porch. Within a few days, the number of ladybugs present was drastically reduced. Thank you for your website!

Name: M. Dawn Davis
Location: Mount Airy, Maryland
Date: Nov 2, 2005
Comments:
Semt to this site by (infomercial) book "1001 All-Natural Secrets to a Pest-Free Property" by Dr. Myles H. Bader. I have only read the SPIDERS section (ug!) so farm and Hegeapples are recommended to be placed in rooms where there is a problem with these (yeah, they're benificial, but give ME nightmares) arachnids. It is the first methos listed for elimination of spiders in your home, and the simplist. The sprays are "like work" and the other layabout things are unsightly, or would lool very odd. I REALLY hope these work as stated.

Name: Karina Toney
Location: Rogers, Arkansas
Date: Nov 1, 2005
Comments:
I despise "hedgeapples". I spent a great portion of my day today picking up 200 or more of the pesky tree droppings and I have yet to notice that they help to keep any type of bug away. Anyone that wants some free ones is more then welcome to come pick them off my lawn. :)

Name: Vince Beeson
Location: Tuscola,IL
Date: Oct 26, 2005
Comments:
I have a friend who lives on a farm who told me about using hedgeapples to repel insects, he gave me a couple of buckets of hedgeapples and I placed them around my basement to get rid of spiders.::Hopefully it will work.

Name: Laura
Location: Easton,Pennsylvania
Date: Oct 25, 2005
Comments:
I stumbled upon the osage orange at a state park yesterday. I am extremely interested in this tree now because i had never seen one in all my visits to that park. Your website was very helpful because I couldnt find any imformation abot the tree or it's fruit at the state park website. I find it a little odd to hear that these trees grow in the midwest because Easton is in the Northern part of pennsylvania. thank u again for ur site.

Name: Patty Airhart
Location: Tacoma, WA
Date: Oct 19, 2005
Comments:
I found your website via Dr. Baders book on pest free properties.. ::I thoroughly enjoyed your website and found it very informative.. I shall be back to read all of it ;) Thanks for such a wonderful site.. Happy Hedgeappling ;)

Name: Erin Wehrbein
Location: Plattsmouth, NE
Date: Oct 14, 2005
Comments:
We have hedgeapples on our family farm. My husband will pick them every year for our interior and exterior of the house. I place them on plastic planter dishes for the inside for when they "sapp" it will help keep it from the floor. I was very interested to know if they were toxic. We have a toddler girl and a housecat, after reading the articles I am reassured they are not presummed to be toxic. Thanks for your website!!::::Go Huskers!!

Name: Ray
Location: Hamilton, Mo.
Date: Oct 14, 2005
Comments:
I have placed hedgeapples in shop, basement for several years and have not been cleaed of spiders, fleas and etc. This year I'm cutting apples to see if that does trick.

Name: Lillie Quinn
Location: New York, NY
Date: Oct 14, 2005
Comments:
I can attest to the great use of the Osage Oranges. I live in an apartment house in New York, which are known for having little friends from time to time. I was at a Farmer's Market on Union Square when I was first introduced to the strange green fruit witnessed the miracle of forbidding my house guests to return. Anyway after a few years of going to the Farmer's Market in September and October, the vendor did not come back. So my question to you is where in Manhattan, New York can we purchase this strange fruit?

Name: Char
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Date: Oct 13, 2005
Comments:
I happened to find these trees growing freely along some of the rivers in the Ozarks. I took the fruit home, called the Botanical Gardens for advise on how to grow these trees. I was told to keep the fruit in the refrigerator for 30days and then plant the seeds --I did and they grew--big and fast.::I just don't know when they are supposed make fruit, does anyone know?::::

Name: Vivian Boyce
Location: Milledgeville, GA
Date: Oct 12, 2005
Comments:
Are hedgeapples available year round? I have noticed comments about certain times of the year, but not during some times of the year. If they do repel insects one would want to be able to get them year round.

Name: Jeff Hart
Location: Poughkeepsie, NY
Date: Oct 11, 2005
Comments:
I just found the fruit from one of the trees at Central Park yesterday. It was the first time since I was 11 years old that I saw one and I didn't know back then what it was, either. Thanks for having this web-site. It was driving us all crazy wanting to know what it was!

Name: CHAD CHEMA
Location: ZANESVILLE,OHIO
Date: Oct 10, 2005
Comments:
DEAR MR. AND MRS. HEDGE APPLES, I FOUND THIS WEBSITE THROUGH A FRIEND AT WORK. WE WERE HAVING BIG SPIDERS ALL OVER OUR NEW YARD, AND ME AND MY GIRLFRIEND SHERRY HATES THOSE DARNED OLD EIGHT LEGGED CREATURES, WE FOUND SOME HEDGE APPLES AND PLACED THEM AROUND OUR HOUSE, SO FAR NO SPIDERS ARE MAKING WEBS ON OUR NEW PROPERTY. HOPE TO KEEP EXPERIMENTING WITH THEM NEXT YEAR. THANKS FOR YOUR INFO. THANKS FOR NOT CHARGING FOR THE INFO. WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TRYING TO GET RICH OVER THE INTERNET. TILL NEXT TIME, CHAD A. CHEMA ----- ZANESVILLE,OHIO WEBMASER

Name: Chad Lange
Location: Akron, Ohio
Date: Oct 9, 2005
Comments:
We love the Osage Orange. My children call them green monkey brains. They really enjoyed looking at them. We never knew about the furniture, bows and instruments that could be made from the wood. That is very interesting!!!...thanks for the info....and the cool website...keep up the good work!!!

Name: Shirley Hall
Location: Fayetteville, AR
Date: Oct 8, 2005
Comments:
Thank you for your site. It was a wonder for us because we had heard these "myths" about using the "horse apple" for getting rid of roaches but were very sceptical about them. We finally went out and picked some, brought them home, split nearly 40 of them in half and spread them around our home. Let's home they do their job now and we see a great reduction in the menace bugs.

Name: Cynthia Koerner
Location: NorthEastern Pa.
Date: Oct 7, 2005
Comments:
I love your site!!! I'm presently looking to find some OSAGE ::ORANGE trees here in northeastern Pa. I know there are plenty::of trees in southeastern Pa., but don't want to travel that::far with the cost of gas now. I just love to have a wooden bowl ::of them in the fall for decoration! I will try using them for::insect repellent though for sure, as I have lots of spiders::here in the country!!! There were plenty of trees in rural ::areas of N.J. many years ago when I was a child. We called them::horse apples back then.

Name: Patty
Location: Canfield, OH
Date: Oct 5, 2005
Comments:
I can't wait until October to go "monkey-ball" picking. We have trees scattered thruout the town. They have become a prized-possession, as people talk about where they go for their monkey balls. Have worked well as a spider chaser.

Name: Sue Nelson
Location: Grant, MI
Date: Oct 5, 2005
Comments:
I grew up in southern Michigan and would see the hedgeapple laying along the side of the old country roads in the fall. We never really knew much about them. Now that I am in the West MI area a few people have mentioned something about these big green things that are supposed to keep spiders away. I knew exactly what they were talking about and decided to finally look them up. If only my dad was still alive, he would of loved to read all the comments. I'm sure, being an old farmer, he knew exactly what they were. :: What a great FAQ page you have!!!

Name: Russ B.
Location: SE Kansas
Date: Oct 4, 2005
Comments:
I have 100 acres of solid Hedge trees on my ranch. I have a few large trees that were used as a fence row over 100 years ago. These big ones grew to about 50-60 feet and none of them produce any fruit (thank goodness). However the several thousand trees I do have produce more than enough to irritate me. The fruit they produce typically stay around through the winter.::::quick thoughts after reading these guestbook comments:::Roundup won't kill a hearty hedge tree. Use Remedy or Tordon. I work every winter and spring to try to kill these trees. If you cut the tree, treat the stump with one of these chemicals. ::::Deer don't eat them but we have the occasional cow that will die because they ate one and got it stuck in their throat. ::::The apples make for good rabbit and squirrel hunting.::::I would gladly let anyone come and get as many hedge apples as their little hearts desire. Free.::::::

Name: Renee Moore
Location: Illinois
Date: Oct 2, 2005
Comments:
I am using the Osage Orange in a dried flower arrangement. I am wondering if I need to treat the fruit with an acrylic spray, or something else to keep it from getting sticky? The arrangement will be kept indoors-how long will the orange last indoors? I would appreciate any advise you have regarding the fruits use in decore.::Thank you ,::Renee Moore

Name: Nancy
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date: Oct 1, 2005
Comments:
Hard to believe but we have a row of Osage Orange trees in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. The tree is not native to Canada; a few early pioneer settlers brought it into Canada. The tree only grows to 30 feet here, although slightly higher in the Southern USA.

Name: Barbara
Location: Omaha Nebraska
Date: Oct 1, 2005
Comments:
Does anybody know where is the closest place to Omaha, NE where I can buy hedge (osage orange) fence posts? Any help would be greatly appreciated! My email is Babageel@aol.com

Name: Cindi Njuguna
Location: Pittsburg kansas
Date: Sep 28, 2005
Comments:
I have been looking for something to get rid of mice i have gotten all the sudden, and we have several trees that have hedge apples.. and i thought my mom told me when i was younger that they got rid of all kinds of bugs, or anything you dont want.. so i am going hedge apple picking tomorrow, this has been a very helpful site to know where to place them, and also to know that they wont harm my pets that i want in the house. Thank You again. cindi

Name: Karen V
Location: Pittsburg, KS
Date: Sep 26, 2005
Comments:
This is SO NEAT! What a great idea. It brings back terrific memories of growing up on my parents farm. They have a great pond in the back acreage and there are locust and hedge trees back there. As kids we played with the hedge balls. I can remember getting all sticky from them. I'm so glad we found out about the site. We'll visit often!

Name: Lilly Jess
Location: columbus ohio
Date: Sep 26, 2005
Comments:
your websites kinda interesting and helpfull. the first time i saw one was when my 8 th grade english teacher made us make up a name for it, and describe it in a letter to our king. i still remember my name for it was a grenge. when we figured out what it was, we cut it in half and took turns smeeling it. then when it got moldy. we threw it out the window and saw it splatter. though don't you think your a little tooo devoted? though thankyou for making the website. i had to use it to write a paper i can't even remember what the grade was.::::THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!

Name: Nancy Karpa
Location: Rogersville, Missouri
Date: Sep 22, 2005
Comments:
My husband and I have recently moved to Missouri and purchased several acres of land with an old farmhouse. To my fascination while walking the property I found a huge Osage orange tree. Of course living in N.Y. my whole life I had never seen these trees, much less the large green fruits.I took one back to where we are currently living until the farmhouse is habitable and immediately went on-line. I found your web site and am thrilled with all of the information and stories. I plan on sending some back to NY along with the story from Tom who writes for the Blue Rapids/Watersville Telegraph Newspaper. ::Thank you for an enjoyable insight on my beautiful tree and it's incredible fruit.

Name: Norma Manser
Location: Missouri
Date: Sep 22, 2005
Comments:
I am really wondering if thhese things are old wives tales or do they work.

Name: Carl Wood
Location: Corsacana, Tx
Date: Sep 20, 2005
Comments:
I have one of these trees growing on my property and wondered what it was. Now I know and I plan on trying the hedgeapples out as a repellent in my home. Thank you for the information.::

Name: jason t
Location: suburbs minneapolis
Date: Aug 31, 2005
Comments:
I have just noticed a bunch of huge spider webs in my back yard while mowing my lawn. They seem to be all over the yard and in different places. I was wondering what would be the best place to put the hedge balls in my yard and if it would be effective. any advice would be greatly appreciated because i am terrified of big spiders :(.

Name: Maggie
Location: Central Texas
Date: Aug 29, 2005
Comments:
There was a random conversation at church one Sunday about horseapples and persimmons. Then the topic of how horseapples are great insect repellants came up. So I went to research it online and found this sight. I love it!! I know where there are some hedgeapples and I'll be getting some soon. Great stuff!!

Name: Sara Brown
Location: Shelbyville tenn.
Date: Aug 13, 2005
Comments:
HI I GREW UP PLAYING WITH THESE APPLES, AND NOW IN MY FIFTY'S WE BOUGHT A FARM HOUSE ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AGO AND MOVED OUT OF THE CITY. WE HAVE A HEDGEAPPLE TREE CLOSE TO THE HOUSE MAYBE 100 FEET. MY BROTHER-INLAW WAS FIXING TO PUSH IT DOWN TO CLEAR THE BRUSH WE DIDN'T NEED. WELL WE SAW THIS TREE AND TOLD NO ONE IS TO TOUCH IT! WE HAVE ALL THE COUNTRY FAMLY OF INSECTS, MICE, ETC. SPIDERS TOO. WELL I PUT ONE IN EACH ROOM AND ALSO UNDER OUR HOME AND OTHER BUILDINGS..IT HAS BEEN ONE WEEK??? NO PESTS!!!!!!!!!NO SPIDERS NO MICE NO WORRYS!!!!!PRAISE THE LORD FOR HIS HEDGE APPLES AND I TOO HAVE ASTHMA AND SEEN I HAVE NOT MUCH ALLERGIES RIGHT NOW AND TAKE NO MEDICINE..THANKS FOR THIS SITE TO LEARN MORE OF THEIR GREAT WORKS. I WOULD SUGGEST ANYONE TO GET THEM!AND SAVE MONEY FOR THEY WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND YES KEEP FROM STOCK ANIMALS PLEASE !GROWING UP ON THE FARM I SAW A COW AND HORSE DIE FROM THE HEDGE APPLE GETTING STUCK IN THEIR THROAT AND CUTTING OFF THEIR BREATHING.THEY CAN'T EAT THEM WITH NO TEETH AND TOO TUFF TO CRUSH WITH THEIR MOUTH.DIED, NO NOT FROM POISON, FROM NOT BREATHING,SO DRIVE DOWN SOME OLE COUNTRY ROAD AND I JUST BET ANY FARMER WOULD LET YOU PICK UP YOUR HEDGEAPPLE FOR FREE FROM THEIR FIELDS WATCH OUT THO FOR THE BULLS AND COWS, YOU MIGHT GET CHASED OUT BY ONE HAHAH. JUST LEAVE US A FEW OK? GOD BLESS YOU

Name: Jimmy Roy
Location: USA
Date: Jul 25, 2005
Comments:
Great! You've a beautiful and very useful website! I enjoyed surfing here; thanks for all the information you provide:

Name: Maureen
Location: Northeast Indiana
Date: Jul 22, 2005
Comments:
I bought my first Hedge Apples from you, 5 years ago, to get rid of spiders. I can't believe people say there is NO PROOF they work. I KNOW they do. Just like mushrooming in the spring - we go hedge apple hunting in the late summer. We just found over 60 this morning. I felt pretty stupid when I realized how many of the Osage trees we had around the county. Thank you for showing me how to protect me & my children from nasty spiders.

Name: Mr McCorvey
Location: wisconsin
Date: Jul 20, 2005
Comments:
i live in northern wisconsin near lake superior,is it possible to grow hedgeapples in these long cold winters we get here? - Nope it's just too cold for Mr. Hedgeapple to grow there.

Name: TIM ANCHORS
Location: PITTSBURGH PA
Date: Jul 16, 2005
Comments:
i JUST SAW YOUR WEB SITE AND THOUGHT THAT I WOULD PUT THIS IN FOR YOU THAT THE OSAGE HEDGE WAS PLANTED IN PA AS A FENCE TO KEEP CATTLE IN THE PROPERTY AND IT WAS A SMALL BUSH PUT AS WE ARE TALKING THE TREES ARE ABOUT 30+ FEET HIGH AND ALSOHAVE NOTICED THAT EVERY OTHER YEAR THINGS HAPPEN THAT YOU NOR i WILL UNDERSTAND IF YOU HAVE THESE TREES THEN YOU WILL KNOW

Name: Joleen
Location: Mississippi River, MN
Date: Jul 10, 2005
Comments:
i haven't been able to find this wonderful fruit in years! Then I remembered that my best friend's Mom sent her a box and just recalled as to how she was able to receive it. Thank goodness~I am so tired of spraying indoors for 'everything' that crawls. This is going to make my life so much easier when it comes to spring and fall cleaning! Thank you!!

Name: Some scout in Ohio
Location: Ohio
Date: Jun 27, 2005
Comments:
Can anyone tell me if Osage Orange trees would possibly grow in Ohio or Pennsylvania? I read on a different site that they are good for wood carving because of their wood's golden color. But I would of course only use wood that fell to the ground because I don't wanna hurt the tree =)

Name: Bonnie
Location: Rockwall, Texas
Date: Jun 1, 2005
Comments:
Where did the name Bodart come from refering to the Hedge Apple tree? - Bodart is the French term for Hedgeapple

Name: Helen
Location: So.Middle Tennessee
Date: May 16, 2005
Comments:
I have lots of Hedgeapples and would be happy ato sell some to you.

Name: Sue B.
Location: Decatur, Illinois
Date: May 11, 2005
Comments:
I love hedge apple trees but our conservation district (Macon County Conservation District) apparently does not and is wanting to "purify the race" here and remove them all from a beautiful woods nearby. Please help!! They plan on spending my tax dollars to destroy what I love.

Name: Charolette
Location: Rochelle IL
Date: May 5, 2005
Comments:
I miss my hedgeapple tree. When we lived on the farm the children and I would walk down the lane and pick them up. If it were not for the thorns, I would put it in my yard.

Name: Mike Milam
Location: Louisville Ky
Date: Apr 19, 2005
Comments:
Just thought you might be interested to know that we have an Osage Orange in our front yard that has a 75 foot canopy and the trunk in 12 feet around at about 5 feet from the ground. I wasn't about to climb it to check the height though. I believe this is a male tree since there is no fruit.

Name: steve thornton
Location:
Date: Sep 1, 2004
Comments:
just bought a new house with 7 acers found them one day when I took my wife for a walk. Didn't know what they were till she took one to work. Being from Calif.moved to Allen OK.people laugh at us because we did not know.

Name: Joanne
Location:
Date: Aug 31, 2004
Comments:
I just discovered hedgeapples at my local park two blocks from my house. I thought they were pretty. I have a problem with ants and I hope they work. Thought you would like me to ship you some at a discount rate. I can collect probably a bushel or so.

Name: James Wels
Location: Lawrence, ks usa
Date: Sunday, December 8, 2002
Comments:
The Wells family moved from Tucson, AZ in 1998 to enroll our two special needs children in USD497 and to obtain services we couldn't get for them in Tucson and to attend Kansas University. On one of our many outings in the county, I kept seeing these unusual fruit from the road and thought they were oranges or apples. My wife was raised in Southwestern Kansas and knew of the notorious history of the Hedge apple. She assured me that the mysterious fruit I kept referring to was NOT a fruit and not for human consumption. One day we were returning from an excersion to Baldwin City and she stopped the car and pointed out what she thought was a wild orange tree. She asked me to go get some of them from the tree that was in a pasture about 1/4 of a mile from where we were parked. I love adventure and willingly trudged the distance along the tree line only to be disappointed by picking up the knobby, sticky, smelly ball of Osage Orange. My wife was laughing when I returned to the car with three or four of the balls of noxious smelling globes and said, "Well, what do you think of those Kansas oranges? My first thought was, "You're kidding, right." My second thought was what kind of natural fuel or product could be manufactured from these things. There must be some sort of use for them. Then she read your Website and we have placed about 8 of the buggers under our mobile home to repel the ants and cockroaches that seem to use the structure as a vacation destination when a lot is vacated. Will know this coming spring of the results. Many thanks from a desperate home owner who has tried every kind of insect control method in the stores.

Name: Marina Stone
Location: Glenn Dale, MD USA
Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2002
Comments:
My husband found a hedge apple yesterday while walking our Shiba Inu dog in an old turf farm that is being turned into a small town. It brought memories of my childhood - visiting my grandparent's farm in Central Indiana. What fun we had "playing" softball with them. I didn't remember the correct name off right away and took the hedge apple to my senior's bible class today. Only two others remembered that it was a hedge apple and osage orange. All three of us were from the Midwest! This website has brought back warm memories. Thank You! Marina

Name: Tim Dyer
Location: Ok USA
Date: Sunday, December 1, 2001
Comments:
The correct spelling for the french name of Osage Orange is Bois d'Arc. It is pronounced bodark and means "wood of the bow".

Name: Jane Bass
Location: Fort Worth, Tx USA
Date: Sunday, December 1, 2002
Comments:
We just came back from a week out atthe ranch. We took along two bags of "horseapples" to put in every corner of every room. We have had a problem with scorpions and Black Widow spiders and are hoping this will resolve the problem as we don't like to spray chemicals inside or out. We see the Osage Orange trees all over here in Texas.

Name: Lisa Atley
Location: St. Louis, MO USA
Date: Sunday, December 1, 2002
Comments:
I found this fruit while on a search and rescue and had to find out what it was because I had never seen it before. Illinois was not mentioned as one of the ares it grows in, but this particular "hedge apple", or Osage Orangr Tree fruit, was found in a small town called Pontoon Beach,Illinois. I found it to be in a location similar to some of the descriptions I found, they were being used as a hedgeline around a creek bed. Enjoyed thr site.

Name: Rex
Location: Montgomery, AL USA
Date: Friday, November 29, 2002
Comments:
Would the hedgeapple by chance be the same as a Mock Orange?

Name: Toni Teague
Location: Williamsburg, Ohio USA
Date: Tuesday, November 26, 2002
Comments:
As president of our local garden club I am looking for a way to use hedgeapples as a natural decoration to incorporate into Christmas Wreaths. With the size and weight I might only be able to use 3-5 on each wreath. Can you suggest how to preserve them any longer than normal? I am going to try the cut hedgeapples for insecticides for bugs. I know an older ex-boss always used them in his basement to control mice but I never knew they also worked on spiders and other critters. I love the smell. I think it is an earthy clean smell and I usually always pick up a few to place in a basket in my "Country Kitchen". Can you preserve them in a way to have them dried? Please advise. Thank you so much for your website. It was great.

Name: Pamela Starr Dunlavey
Location: Lanark, Il.
Date: : Tuesday, November 26, 2002
Comments:
My husband is Irish and LOVES anything Green . So when he told me he was picking Hedgeapples for a friends wife for decorations I really thought he'd gone off his Rocker. I had confirmation on that when he cam home with his prized green brains and bloody gouges up to his elbows. I couldn't believe he put so much effort and sacrifice into a favor for a friends wife (whom by the way he had never met)So--Now I found out that they are being sold through ads in the newspaper for $.75 a peice.. The price isn't high enough to justify the medical expence. So, I went out with him in search of the elusive fruit(?) I work smarter not harder I took an APPLE PICKER along and lo and behold I recieve only one small scratch .He praise me on my ability to harvest the prize said I was a natural!!! YA RIGHT!!! He was trying to recruit a patsy to do the dirty deed ,typical Irish tactics!!!! Now we have a pick-up truck full , don't ask me why?? I'm only his wee wife.

Name: jody lee
Location: batavia, ny
Date:Thursday, November 21, 2002
Comments:
the osage orange has been a big discussion at work with no answers, until i happend upon one at a flea market! thats how I found your web! thanx

Name: Tom Parker
Location: KS USA
Date: Thursday, November 21, 2002
Comments:
I've had a fascination with Osage oranges for a while, and so wrote this story for the Blue Rapids/Waterville Telegraph newspaper, where I write a weekly column.I love your Web site and thought you might like this. The article is copyrighted 2002 but you have my permission to use it on your Web site if you want to. tom

Spreading the lowly hedge apple across the celestial sky Nov. 16, 2002

One of the most incongruous sights of the autumnal Kansas countryside is that of an Osage orange stripped of leaves, its bare limbs gnarled and twisted, a litter of lime-green fruit crowded at its base like monocolored Christmas presents. Of all living things, it stands out as unique, as a one-of-a-kind specimen, adding an unreal tint to a landscape rapidly being shorn of color. And it is unique, a monotype, the sole member of its genus. There is nothing else like it in all the world.
I first heard of Maclura pomifera in 1991, with the publication of Prairy Erth, by William Least Heat-Moon. Possibly the finest book ever written on Kansas, its 622 pages take place exclusively in Chase County, and cover every facet of its history. The author devotes an entire chapter on the importance of the tree in the Midwestern frontier. Not only is Maclura an amazing tree, but its history is equally fascinating.
Meriwether Lewis penned the first description of the wood in 1804 and sent cuttings back to Thomas Jefferson. In 1847, Professor Jonathan Turner of Jacksonville, Illinois, proposed using the wood as hedges. Turner began advocating and selling Maclura, which was then known as the finest wood on the planet for making bows. By the early 1870s the trees began delineating the Kansas landscape. It was the most sought-after plant in the history of the United States, and then barbed wire came along and eclipsed Maclura's importance. Now, it seems nobody likes having it around. Poor Maclura pomifera, once so popular, now so reviled.
After reading Prairie Erth, I decided that someday I had to have an Osage orange growing in my yard. As nurseries in Colorado didn't stock them, the idea languished until it all but faded away.
And then we decided we had to escape the burgeoning madhouse and flee to Blue Rapids, and find a measure of peace. We quit our jobs, put our house on the market, packed everything we owned into a Ryder truck and set out on our new adventure.
We were freer than we had ever been or conceived of being. It was an interlude suffused with wonder and hope and magic. Everything that was good and perfect graced our lives. We had new friends and neighbors and, to ex-suburbanites, unimaginable quiet. Deer grazed in our yard, and rabbits, and raccoons and skunks and a solitary woodchuck. The birds that began to visit the feeders were species that had never been seen in our old haunts.
Each day revealed some new wonder. Late summer came and leaves began falling and the skies filled with long V's of geese heading south. Recognition dawned on me that the trees across the street were, in fact, Osage oranges. They grew enormous pebbled balls that dragged down limbs under their weight. Their color was amazing, a lime that few other things in the world possess. Maclura pomifera, at last.
One afternoon, my wife and I were walking the edges of our property and enjoying the sense of freedom we had come to know. We found a battered aluminum bat under the grass. I darted across the road and retrieved several softball sized fruits. They were much heavier than I thought they would be, and when the bat made a solid connection the shock could be felt clear through my body.
Last night I stepped outside to watch the crescent moon hanging low in the south. A few stars were visible but the air was hazy. It was warm, with a slight breeze that rustled what leaves were left. After the cold, damp weather it felt like spring again. I sucked in a deep breath and held it for a second.
With only the yard light for navigation, I walked across the road to where Maclura grows thickest. Mindful of the sharp drop-off from the road's shoulder and of the thorny limbs, I rooted around in the inky blackness until my fingers felt the wrinkled surface of an orange. It was smaller than most, hardball-sized, heavy. It was perfect.
I strode into the center of the road considered my choices. I could toss it into my fallow field and hope that someday a tree would sprout, or I could take it home and set it inside the doorway and use it to repel cockroaches. But the night felt special, filled with enchantment, and a giddy carelessness swept over me. I wanted this fruit to matter. I wanted it to propagate and grow a million more like it.
I wound up and hurled the orange as hard as I could, aiming at the arc of the moon as it hung above the trees. It was a good throw, hard enough to m