Osage orange

American  

noun

1. Also called bois d'arc, bowwood.  a tree, Maclura pomifera, of the mulberry family, native to the south-central U.S., having hard, yellowish wood and often cultivated for hedges.

2. the round, rough-skinned, inedible fruit of this tree.

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Osage orange British  

noun

1. a North American moraceous tree, Maclura pomifera, grown for hedges and ornament

2. the warty orange-like fruit of this plant

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Etymology

Origin of Osage orange

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Osage orange

She also uses offcuts from her shop mate’s custom furnishings as well as Osage orange from her grandparents’ farm and black walnut from downed trees in Bloomington.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 2, 2023

“Thank you!’’ wrote a user who goes by jennieo to someone who identified a light-green, softball-size fruit as an Osage orange.

From New York Times ● Dec. 9, 2022

Thorns are modified branches appearing as sharp outgrowths that protect the plant; common examples include roses, Osage orange and devil’s walking stick.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

Today, the Tunica Hills are covered in oak and loblolly pine, sweetgum and pawpaw, Osage orange and flowering magnolia, along with many other plants.

From Salon ● Feb. 14, 2021

I have Osage orange on the north and a creek with native timber on the south.

From The Apple by Various