Osage Orange Tree –
Osage orange trees have an interesting history and name. But most people in Texas just call them bodarks.
Bois d’arc (bodark) is French and means “wood of the bow”. Early explorers named the tree when they witnessed American Indians using it for their bows. It was strong and pliable and could be found in many places.
The fruit is what puzzles most people, however. It looks like some kind of alien brain with its bright green color and wrinkled surface. Not many animals eat it, which looks a lot more like an apple than an orange. I have seen squirrels shred them for their small seeds.
They also make a great fence post and their barbed limbs are said to have been the inspiration for barbed wire. It’s a good tree to have on your place as it protects the ground from erosion and shelters all kinds of wildlife, from birds to deer.
Someday, I’m going to make my own Comanche bow from a bodark branch.
