Osage Orange

a small thorny tree or shrub of the nettle family, closely allied to the mulberry. The name comes from its native locality and large, orange-like, worthless fruit. It is native to North America, from Kansas to Texas, and has been introduced eastward as far as Massachusetts as a hedge plant. The objections to osage hedges are want of hardiness in the North, and the width of ground impoverished by their extensive roots. In these particular respects wire fences are preferred. The sap contains milky rubber. The wood is fine grained, tough, and elastic. It was much used by the plains Indians for bows. The French trappers called it bois d'arc, or bowwood. Many a buffalo fell before arrows driven by osage orange bows.