PlantFiles: Osage Orange, Bois d'arc, Bodock Tree, Horse Apple, Hedge Apple
Maclura pomifera 'Whiteshield'

I recently moved from a house in Sanger, TX that was built in either the late 1890s or very early 1900s. This 2,500 sq. ft. home still rests on the original piers, which are Bois d'arc stumps set in the ground. They are still extremely hard and solid over 100 years later. While cutting firewood one year, I accidently cut into a bois d'arc branch and was amazed at the bright orange wood. I took a piece and made a decoration with my table saw. My saw was in a tool shed with a dirt floor which means there were LOTS of bugs in it! Of course after sawing the Bois d'arc, there now was lots of sawdust on the ground. I noticed that for months and months afterwards, I didn't see any insects or spiders in my shed, so yes, it is an insect repellent. If you take the 'apples' and cut them in quarters and spread them under your house (pier and beam only, of course), they will keep the insects away. You can also spread cut up apples around the foundation to keep termintes away also. No, Bois d'arc does not burn very well at all, and does spark a lot, believe me, I've tried it!

Although the "Dangers" field of this entry comments on the sharp and dangerous throns of Maclura, in fact this cultivar is the *thornless* variety of Osage Orange.

While the species is excellent for barrier hedges and will do fine for wildlife shelterbelts, it has always been a shame that such a tough, attractive and carefree tree has been unsuitable for street and lawn use because of its wicked thorns; it was a situation Osage Orange had in common with the species form of Honey Locust, with which it grows in the riverine central midwest.

Fortunately for every American city north of the subtropics, thornless varieties of Honey Locust (notably "Moraine", "Shademaster", "Sunburst" and "Skyline") became common beginning in the 1940s.

Unfortunately, until recently, there have not been equivalent thornless varieties of Osage Orange, but now with the emergence of "White Shield", there is. According to the U of Arkansas Ft Smith Arboretum "'White Shield', a male, thornless and fruitless variety with glossy foliage was found in western Oklahoma on White Shield Creek and was named after a Cheyenne chief."

By the way, if you are familiar with the general form and appearance of any of the heartleaf fruitless mulberry varieties, you'll have a good idea of the form and appearance of "White Shield" (not surprising since both are members of the Moraceae, or Mulberry family).

A great tree with a great future, if sufficient propagation and promotion occurs.

Name note: As documented by Janet Lembke, in addition to the common names listed above, the tree is known as "Bodark" and, simply, "Hedge".