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

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

Osage orange, redbud and sugar maple tree branches wove together overhead, forming a dense, knotty canopy that broke every few miles to reveal stretching bluegrass pastures.

From Salon • Feb. 12, 2023

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

Though Osage orange and black locust have traditionally been used for fence posts, they have what luthiers call a great “tap tone.”

From Seattle Times • Jan. 5, 2020

Windbreaks are essential, and I would make them of Osage orange planted thirty feet from the trees.

From The Apple by Various