Osage Orange

Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera) is a tree/shrub of unending uniqueness and use. Growing up on a Midwestern farm, I have had a love/hate relationship with this tree. I say tree, because if left to its natural instincts this once propagated livestock hedge will grow into 30' trees. This tree has always fascinated me as no other tree could. The wood can easily last 50 years without any appreciable decay. A log will sink if thrown into a pond. It will burn the hottest of any wood in the Midwest and in addition, burn green. The hardness and durability of the Osage wood is unparalleled. Before barb-wire, this tree was sold throughout the Midwest as a livestock hedge fence which in four years was said to grow to be, horse-high, bull-strong, and hog-tight.

I have always been interested in natural anti-microbials found in nature. I have been much impressed with the Olive tree leave as a very effective anti-microbial and often wished that a similar tree grew in my area. The Olive tree is very disease resistant, few insects seem to bother it, and can live for an eternity. It eventually occured to me that this also described the locally growing Osage Orange tree. The Maclura pomifera never seem to die. Their leaves are as bright green and perfect from insect damage from Spring to Fall's end. Best of all, their leaves are non-toxic. I have seen livestock occasionally take mouthfuls from the branches without ill effect.

Description: Osage Orange is a deciduous tree which can grow beyond 30 feet. It has a rounded silhouette with the main trunk generally rather short. The roundness is due to many radiating large branches. The twigs tend to zig-zag with leaves that alternate. Leaves are simple, oval affairs with a long stem and sharp, long point. They are smooth edged, a glossy dark-green on top, a dull light green on the bottom, and have a characteristic milky sap excreted from torn petioles. Leaves tend to be from 3 to 5 inches in length. Some varieties produce thorns, others don't. The famous fruit, hedge apples, are only produced by female trees. The fruit resembles oranges with brain-like outer skin. The fruit of female trees must be pollinated in order for the fruit to contain seeds.

Location: Osage Orange was originally native to a very limited belt starting in Southwestern Arkansas and neighboring Southeastern Oklahoma southward into Eastern Texas and Northwestern Louisiana. Now through manual commerce and introduction, this tree can be found in almost all sections of the USA. It is a very drought tolerant tree, easily transplanted, and tolerates poor soils, extreme heat, and occasional sub-zero cold spells well.

Parts Used: Roots and leaves.

Medicinal Properties: It is said that the Indians utilized a root/water infusion for eye conditions. The leave and inner bark will probably offer the most promise for future medicinal compound extractions. Modern researchers are scrutinizing many of the compounds in the Osage Orange. One of the active compounds is Tetraphydroxystilbene which shows significant anti-fungal activity. A promising antibiotic compound has been isolated as a non-toxic food preservative. Research is continuing in the laboratory and there is no reason why we can not do our own veterinary experimenting. Osage Orange extracts should offer a very interesting non-toxic alternative to combating various infections of a fungal and bacterial nature.


		*Hedgeball*





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