![]() ![]() Itchy Chiggers – Separating Fact From Fallacy.Adding Temporary Protection For Wild Rabbit’s Nest.Wild Hogs: Making The Best Of A Bad Situation.Wild Plum Tree Offers Plums For Delicious Jelly. ![]() Bois d’Arc – Beautiful & Functional Tree.I guess we’re just really lucky to have so many of these wonderful trees growing here on the Homestead! I’ve written a more detailed Bois D’Arc Article if you’d like to check it out.ĭo you have these gorgeous trees where you live? The list goes on and on, but the old barns and fences built using this wood are so sturdy, practical and lovely. Different parts of this tree are used as insect repellant, leather tannin, fence posts, wheel rims, tool handles, etc. This tree was described by French explorers as “Bois D’arc” which means bow wood. This is the tree that native Americans, especially the Osage Indians, preferred for their bows and arrows. The Bois D’arc tree has many common names including Osage Orange, horse apple, hedge apple and more. Kirkpatrick shares this interesting information about Bois D’Arc trees: My brother took this photo of a very, VERY old fence row of Bois D’Arc trees. The real beauty in this tree for me is the fascinating characteristics of the wood. That Bois D’Arc light feature was gifted to our daughter and her new husband as a wedding gift. I fell in love with this Bois D’Arc branch that apparently fell years ago and continues to amaze me with it’s beauty and detail even now.Īnd we took a very old Bois D’Arc post and made a gorgeous solar-light featurewith it. They are often cut in half and rolled under sheds, barns and homes to repel spiders and other insects.Īs the wood ages, a very beautiful character forms in the wood itself. Some say there are insect repellent qualities to these horse apples. They start out green and gradually turn yellow by the time they drop from the tree in the fall. These are not actual edible apples but some wild critters around the homestead will munch on them. The tree will bloom tiny white fragrant blooms in the spring and then put on their fruit called ‘Horse Apples’. I love to daydream about the past history and layout of our homestead… This spot in one of our pastures was apparently at one time a fence line as evidenced by the soldier-straight rows. The shape of the tree is easier to see in the winter without the leaves. I’m showing a picture of it below, just to the right of the too-cute-for-words Hereford calf. The tree itself makes a beautiful shade tree, with gently arching branches. Many people have asked me to share a post about these beautiful trees so I’m obliging today. My favorite thing about it though is the beauty in the wood itself as it ages. And many ranchers use logs cut from this tree in their fence lines and barn beams. The wood from this tree is highly valued for it’s rot-resistant qualities. Our ranch has many beautiful trees, but none that are also as functional as the Bois D’Arc tree. ![]()
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