# What is this?



## MIfishslayer91 (Dec 24, 2013)

Found a tree dropping a bunch of these. The tree looks similar to an apple or pear tree. Anybody know what these are and what tree produces them?


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## Swampdog467 (Jul 6, 2017)

Commonly referred to as hedgeballs. The fruit of an Osage orange tree. My grandma used to say they would keep mice out of the house. I believed it up until I saw the mice had been eating one..
The tree is one of, if not the best firewood trees you can find. The wood also has a beautiful grain and makes an awesome looking tabletop. 

Sent from my E6810 using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## 6thMichCav (Nov 8, 2007)

A future bow stave, waiting to grow up.


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## aacosta (Dec 18, 2015)

Heard they keep spiders out


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## MIfishslayer91 (Dec 24, 2013)

Thanks for the replies guys. Pretty interesting stuff about that tree. Are they native to Michigan?


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## Zkovach1175 (Mar 29, 2017)

aacosta said:


> Heard they keep spiders out


Heard that many times too


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## meganddeg (Sep 29, 2010)

Swampdog467 said:


> Commonly referred to as hedgeballs. The fruit of an Osage orange tree. My grandma used to say they would keep mice out of the house. I believed it up until I saw the mice had been eating one..
> The tree is one of, if not the best firewood trees you can find. The wood also has a beautiful grain and makes an awesome looking tabletop.
> 
> Sent from my E6810 using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


Agreed. My wife's family is from Nebraska and this tree is common there. They call it "hedge." It is a very good firewood. Warning: it burns very hot and very long. Probably best to only put one piece in the fire at a time. Also known as Bois d'arc and branches have been used to make longbows as someone else noted.


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## jrose (Aug 17, 2011)

Here in Ohio, we call them "Hedge Apples"


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## Airoh (Jan 19, 2000)

MIfishslayer91 said:


> Thanks for the replies guys. Pretty interesting stuff about that tree. Are they native to Michigan?


Yes. Southern mi. 
Great bow wood. Very dense wood.
It was used to make fence lines by planting thousand of seeds. People called it pig proof. 
that meant it was impenetrable.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

Really dense, makes fantastic game calls.. It's used alot because it's readily available and inexpensive..


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## Tilden Hunter (Jun 14, 2018)

MIfishslayer91 said:


> Thanks for the replies guys. Pretty interesting stuff about that tree. Are they native to Michigan?


Like many trees, southern Michigan is the northern edge of their range. It is interesting in that it can be grown as a large tree or trained into a hedge. Supposedly the fruit is psychotropic, for squirrels at least, so they will leap for branches that aren't there when they eat them. Don't park under one of those trees in the fall, the balls fall with quite a thump.


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## WALLEYE MIKE (Jan 7, 2001)

Tilden Hunter said:


> Like many trees, southern Michigan is the northern edge of their range. It is interesting in that it can be grown as a large tree or trained into a hedge. Supposedly the fruit is psychotropic, for squirrels at least, so they will leap for branches that aren't there when they eat them. Don't park under one of those trees in the fall, the balls fall with quite a thump.


We have a short stretch of road near me with them all along it. Hate to be driving past when one falls off.


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## Gamekeeper (Oct 9, 2015)

They were planted all across the plains of America in an effort to stem erosion because they grow fast and could stand drought

During the dust bowl years, they were planted by the millions.


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

It’s original natural range was almost completely in east Texas. It’s can-grow range via planting is much much bigger but I doubt anyone has mapped that. 

They are sometimes sold in the produce section of grocery stores; people use them for pest … deterrence, I guess. 

Another fun fact - out in Iowa, it is so common on farm properties that Iowa is now the center of a trade in the fruits. They are shipped out by the semi-load for use as an ingredient in cosmetics.


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