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.

---

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

---

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

“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

Thinks windbreaks are essential, and if used would make them of Osage orange or mulberry, not very close to trees on north and west sides.

From The Apple by Various