Hedge Apples Balls Osage Orange, Natural Insect Control

 Box full of Hedge Apples (Osage Oranges)

You will recieve 10 to 18 Hedge Apples in assorted sizes ranging from 2 1/2" to 4". These Hedge Apples were picked off our large groves of Osage Orange trees prior to any frost or freeze and stored inside in our basement until shipment. These Hedge Apples were picked off our Osage Orange trees in October of 2009. We only have a limited amount until next season. Get them quick before we sell out. The Hedge Apples are picked fresh for your order if at all possible. The average life of a Hedge Apple when indoors is from 1 to 3 months and varies with the indoor conditions.

We have over 60 acres of land in the Midwest where the Osage Orange trees have been allowed to grow and prosper. Some of our trees are very old. We always have a large crop of Hedge Apples every year.

Hedge Apples have many monikers. Some of the many names that Hedge Apples are known by are:

Maclura Pomifera
Osage Orange
Hedge Apple
HedgeApple
Bodark
Mock Orange
Green Brains
Horse Apple
Monkey Brain
Bow Wood
Bois D'Arc

Folklore use of Hedge Apples is for creeping, crawling insect repellent. It was commonly thought that putting Hedge Apples in and around your home would repel spiders, cockroaches, ants, fleas, crickets, beetles, centipedes, box elder beetle, termites and other crawling insects. The pioneers of yesteryear used the fruit of the Osage Orange for this purpose. Farmers in our area, including ourselves, still use the Hedge Apple for a non-toxic, completely natural, safe insect repellent to this day. Using Hedge Balls in your home or apartment could be a great way to keep bugs at bay safely and without the use of harsh chemicals. This has not been proven yet, but there are many studies underway and already published on the Internet. As an added bonus, the bright yellow green balls are a wonderful decorative accent for your home decor. Many people use the Hedge Apples as a Christmas tree decoration.

Some say the best fruits for repelling insects are the ones that have naturally fallen from the tree, some say the best fruit that repels are the ones picked off the tree before it has fallen and others say the fruit is most repellent after the first good hard frost and picked from off the ground. Our experience is the Hedge Apples work from the moment they are ripe on the tree to way after they have fallen. The fastest repellent properties are achieved when you slice the fruit open and allow the milky sap to dispel into the air. This also shortens the life of your Hedge Apple considerably. Since you get so many from us, you can try both methods and see for yourself which is most effective for your circumstances.

The fruit is inedible but some say you can eat the seeds inside the hard fleshy pulp. Some people have had mild dermatitis from the milky sap but the Hedge Apple is otherwise non-poisonous and non-toxic and safe for children, infants, pets and home use.

Most commonly, Hedge Apples are placed around the home and in the pantry or closet on some sort of plate, platter, or just a piece of foil. As the Hedge Apple ages in your home, it will darken and the juices can seep out. It is best to keep the Osage Orange Hedge Balls in an open container or some sort of liner to keep everything tidy. The milky sap is very sticky.

The Hedge Apple is used also for arts and crafts and home decor. The Hedge Balls can be sliced and dried and used for all manner of crafts and floral arrangements. Some web sites sell 2 SLICES of dried Hedge Apple for $1.25 and up!  We have a large crop in stock, fresh and ready to ship!

Hedge Apples can be used as a natural insect repellant. They are said to work really well to rid your home of spiders.  They can also be used as squirrel food

Hedge Apples also make a nice fall decoration. Place a few in a basket to use as a center piece. They can also be cut in half and hollowed out to use as a candle holder.