A Tribute to Bow-Wood and Hedge Apples
If you’ve ever been outdoors in the North Texas area, chances are, you have seen as Bois d’Arc tree. You may not have noticed the tree so much as the enormous, softball-sized, green hedge apples on the ground or in the tree. Or, you may have noticed a gnarly, twisted old tree in the woods somewhere, with branches arching toward the ground as if they were drawn to the earth by some kind of magnet. You also may have seen them out in the country, where they are sometimes seen growing in rows as windbreaks. It is rare, but you can occasionally see one growing in town. More commonly, if you venture out into the open areas of North Texas, you are almost certain to come across one of these interesting trees.
The first time I saw one and really noticed it, I thought the tree looked tired. I wondered if it might be sick or dying, because the thick, arching branches were bent so awkwardly that the tree almost looked like it was drooping or damaged. It conjured up images of a haunted tree-trunk marching around at night from an old cartoon that I don’t quite remember completely. I am, generally speaking, a fan of all things creepy, so the Bois d’Arc quickly became one of my favorite trees. I’ve since seen some that bend so closely toward the ground that they seem to be begging to be climbed or sat in.
The Bois d’Arc tree, (pronounced BOW-DARK in these parts,) also known as Osage Orange, or Maclura pomifera to the botanically-inclined, is native to a thin stretch of the country that encompasses a small part of southeast Arkansas and Oklahoma, and a large swath of North and Central Texas. Interestingly, the Bois d’Arc is the ONLY known living member of the genus Maclura. Every other specimen of this genus is long gone and only known to us today through fossil records. These trees typically reach heights of 30–50 feet, making them prominent members of any forest landscape in North Texas. The branches also produce sharp thorns, which make the trees look even more foreboding upon close inspection.
So, what makes the Bois d’Arc so special, other than it’s haggard, unsightly appearance? First, the wood from this tree is extremely flexible, yet very strong. When it is first hewn, the wood is also an attractive bright orange-yellow color, which only increases its desirability. It is said that the Osage Indians used the wood from this tree, and only this tree, to make their bows for hunting. This is where the two most common names for the tree originate from- Osage Orange from the color of the wood and the Osage tribe, and Bois d’Arc, which is French for “bow-wood.”
Early settlers to this area soon realized that the Bois d’Arc had other valuable qualities. The tree can be planted in long rows and aggressively pruned, causing it to form dense shrubs rather than tall trees, which can be easily maintained. This would produce a hedgerow that was “horse high, bull strong, and hog tight,” meaning that a horse couldn’t jump it, a bull couldn’t force his way through, and a hog wouldn’t be able to wriggle between the branches to escape the pasture. Planting these trees became such a novel solution for farmers and ranchers on the Great Plains that seeds of the Bois d’Arc tree were a major export for the state of Texas back in the day. In 1860, for example, Texas exported enough seeds to grow about 300 million Bois d’Arcs in other parts of the county. This began the spread of the Bois d’Arc to other parts of the United States, beyond its native range.
When barbed wire was invented in 1880, the market for Bois d’Arc seeds began to decline. Enterprising ranchers found, however, that the wood from the trees made excellent fence posts. Aside from being strong and durable, the wood is very rot and termite resistant, so it could withstand years of exposure to the elements. Historically, Bois d’Arc wood was also used by travellers in the making of wagon wheels and spokes, also due to the wood’s durability.
Perhaps the most prominent feature of these trees is the fruit they produce. The hedge apple likely gets its name from the apple-like appearance of the fruit when it is cut in half. The bumpy, warty, ugly green fruit’s seeds are actually edible, though no other part of the fruit can be safely consumed by humans. However, to get at the seeds, one would have to navigate through the sticky, sappy pith of the fruit, which contains a latex-like white substance that causes contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals. It’s also a pain to wash off of hands. Squirrels consider the seeds of the hedge apple to be a delicacy, and you might find evidence of past squirrel feasts, in the form of shredded and raided hedge apples, on the ground near a Bois d’Arc tree.
The hedge apple is also believed to be an effective insect repellant. The fruit is supposed to be effective at repelling spiders, ants, roaches, crickets, and various beetles. As with most folk-remedies, this claim has not been satisfactorily tested by science, so we have to rely on the accounts of individuals making the claims. However, a compound found in the hedge apple has been found to repel cockroaches in some cases, so the claim does appear to hold at least some validity. The only way to know for sure if it works is to try it and see, if you don’t mind leaving chunks of hedge apple around your house.
Interestingly, Commerce, Texas, the home of my alma-mater, Texas A&M-Commerce, is the self-proclaimed Bois d’Arc Capital of the World. Rick Vanderpost, the publisher of a local Commerce newspaper, made this ambitious declaration after downing a few beers with friends at a local watering hole. Mr. Vanderpost took a look at a map after a few alcoholic libations and decided that Commerce was the center of Bois d’Arc country, which, of course, made it the capital. A large, old Bois d’Arc in town was given the name “Max” and declared to be the largest Bois d’Arc in the world. (Sadly, this was later disproven, as a larger one was discovered in Corsicana.) Despite the dubiousness of the claim, Commerce still celebrates its title as Bois d’Arc Capital each fall, when it hosts the annual Bois d’Arc Bash. This festival takes place each year on the weekend closest to September 25, the anniversary of the 1885 founding of the town.
So, are you ready to go out and hunt for a Bois d’Arc? If you live in or near McKinney, you won’t have to look far. It’s rare to find one in town, likely because most people think they are unattractive as landscape trees. If you venture out into a wooded area, however, such as the trails at The Heard Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary, or the hike and bike trail at Erwin Park, you will find at least a few Bois d’Arcs. If you find yourself on a woodland hike in fall, you will easily spot the ugly, fallen, fruit of the tree c along the path as well. If so, you are lucky. They make good “soccer balls” if you need something to kick along the trail with your kids as you hike. Apparently, they also make a decent snack if you don’t mind getting your fingers sticky.
Happy Hunting!!
