The Osage Orange tree is actually not a Orange tree at all. It is known by several names and to just name a few : Bow Dock, Bo Dark, Hedge Apple and Mock Orange.
The wood from an Osage Orange tree is heavy, hard and strong. It is also very flexible.
It's said that several of the Native Americans used this wood to make war clubs and bows . It's also known that they would travel many miles in search of these trees to make their bows. The wood was so valued by the Native Americans that a good Osage wood bow would have had the same value and could often be traded for a good horse and a blanket.
The seed inside the large fruit is eaten by some wildlife but not a major food source for any of them. Trust me this isn't a fruit you want to eat at all. When the fruit is scratched it will produce a milky latex looking sap that can cause skin irritations in some people. The fruit has been known to be used by some people as an insect repellent.
