Hedgeapple 101 Introductory Course
- Hedgeapples are not poisonous. . See
NYC
Poison Control Page. See right side of Non-toxic list and
seven down. However, hedge apples have suffocated livestock
by lodging in their esophagus. My father-in-law lost one cow
that way.
- Very often, a Hedgeapple is incorrectly referred to as a
Hedge Ball,
Horse Apple, Green Brains, Monkey Balls or Mock Orange (click
here for correct definition of these). In Texas, they call
them Horse Apples, in fact they write poems about them (click
here for the poem). Thank you Nancy for letting me post
it.
- The hedge tree has several names, Osage Orange (most popular)
and Bodark (French) and Maclura pomifera (scientific name).
Naturalist, Jim Mason has posted a very professional
page about Osage Orange.
- The Osage Orange is native to a limited
area centered on the Red River valley in southern Oklahoma and
northern Texas.
- Strangely the oldest
and biggest Osage Orange tree is in Virginia. Why isn't
it in its native states? I challenge the people of Oklahoma
and Texas to find an older and bigger Osage Orange tree and
take your rightful place.
- Not all of the Osage Orange trees will have fruit because
hedge trees are either male or female.
- Osage Orange is a cousin to the mulberry tree.
- It is rumored that During WWII GI's were fed hedgeapples
due to food shortages. If anyone knows the details on this,
please email or put in the guestbook.
- Hedge Wood has several top characteristics:
- Has highest strength for primitive bows used in archery.
For more information see Mike
Easter's Osage Orange page.
He is as devoted to
Osage Orange tree as I am.
- Highest in rot resistance without additives.
- Dried hedge is highest in BTU's when used as firewood.
Hedge wood is the closest to a piece of coal as you can
get. Check
this link out to see which dried wood has the most BTU's.
Mr. Hedgeapple is No. 1 here too!
- Green Hedge puts on the most spectacular light show
when burned in a fireplace. Occasionally, I would put some
green hedge in our fireplace and watch the fireworks. It
emits sparkles constantly and some can go over a yard in
distant. There are never large pops, just a constant blevy
of very small sparks that would go through the fireplace
screen. They were not large enough to mark clothes or carpet
when they land. It is not recommend to use green hedge as
firewood unless in a sealed stove. However, dried hedge
is much more quiet, safer, and has more BTU's than any other
dried wood. As with all woods, you still should use a protective
screen or shield between the fireplace and the room.
- Could Hedge wood be the best for making string musical
instruments?
- Gary Woodall thinks it might be. Check out his instruments (Guitar,
Mandolin)
Move over famed violin maker, Antonio Stradivari, Gary
is here!!
- There is an person in Americus, Ks who makes Harps
from Osage Orange because he believes it is the most
dimensionally stable of all woods when aged and placed
under strain.
- Hedge wood is an attractive yellow wood.
Check
the pens by Mimosa Custom Pens.
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