![]() ![]() The “apple” in hedge-apple comes from the huge, 4-6 inch diameter fruit ball, which is actually made up of many fruits that have coalesced into one unit. Hedge-apples can be grown in place and then simply cut down to size, no driving needed! The resistance to decay is thought to be due to the presence of 2,3,4,5-tetrahydroxystilbene, a substance that is toxic to fungi. The wood of this species is naturally rot-resistant and has been used for archery bows, furniture, decks and fence posts. Its tendency to branch very low on the plant enables the plant to form an impermeable thicket all on its own, making a great livestock barrier. Hedge-apple will easily grow to 12 feet tall within 5 years, eventually reaching 20 to 40 feet. Armed with wicked thorns, it’s an ideal hedge plant from a security standpoint! It’s easy to transplant, fast-growing and adapts to a wide range of soils. The hedge-apple’s reputation for tolerating just about any environmental stress you throw its way is likely the reason it was so popular on farmsteads as a hedge plant. Originally, this plant hailed from the southwestern United States, but was so widely planted throughout the Midwest as a hedgerow, that it is now considered to be “naturalized” throughout much of the eastern United States and beyond. Depending on where you’re from, this tree has such names as hedge-apple, osage orange, bodark, bowwood and bois d’arc! ![]() No matter what you call it, there’s no question that the tree known botanically as Maclura pomifera is a unique curiosity. ![]()
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