The hedge apple, scorned by some and loved by a few. Why scorned? First, a few facts about the Osage Orange 'Maclura pomifera' tree which produces the 3 - 5 inch diameter fruit, aka the "hedge apple".  The Osage Orange tree grows 30 - 40 feet in height with a short trunk and rounded or irregular crown. The tree tolerates poor soils, extreme heats and transplants well.  In the mid-nineteenth century the tree was a favorite by midwestern farmers. The tree was actually a living fence. When prunned into a hedge form it was an impenetrable barrier for cattle. The barb wire was invented; the plantings as fence rows stopped. The tree was then utilized by ranchers and farmers as fence posts. The wood is also utilized to constuct archery bows.

But with such a great history of use for the wood and the tree, why all the questions about the fruit it produces known as hedge apples? The fruit is actually verry spinney. The spines are 1/2 inch in length which rules out the female tree, that produces the fuit, as a landscape tree. Most birds and animals find the fruit to be unpalatable. So why do people want fruit? It is believed and well documented (unscientifically) that the fruit, when placed around the foundation or in the basement of a house, will ward away cockroaches, spiders, boxelder bugs, crickets, mice and other pests. Not a spring goes by that we hear more testimonials about the hedge apples' effectiveness. Actually, it is a very poplar tree and sought after for its fruit, even though this isn't a fruit you would eat.

So, the next time you see a hedge apple at a farmers market, why not buy a couple to test out the fruits' insect repelling traits for yourself?  Fact or fiction, please let us know your results.