SKU: 18439209096
plant orange seeds

plant orange seeds Osage Orange – Experimental Farm Network Seed Store

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Description

plant orange seeds Osage Orange – Experimental Farm Network Seed StoreMaclura pomifera Origin: Pennsylvania Improvement status: Wild Seeds per packet: ~40 BOTANICAL SAMPLE NOT GERMINATION TESTED Life cycle: Perennial Also called "hedge apple", "horse apple," "bois d'arc", "bodark"(and sometimes "monkey brain tree"!), or simply "hedge," this typically thorny native tree is most often grown as a natural hedge said to be "pig tight, horse high, and bull strong." First brought to the attention of non indigenous people by

Maclura pomifera

Origin: Pennsylvania

Improvement status: Wild

Seeds per packet: ~40

BOTANICAL SAMPLE - NOT GERMINATION TESTED

Life cycle: Perennial

Also called "hedge apple", "horse apple," "bois d'arc", "bodark"(and sometimes "monkey brain tree"!), or simply "hedge," this typically thorny native tree is most often grown as a natural hedge — said to be "pig tight, horse high, and bull strong." First brought to the attention of non-indigenous people by Lewis and Clark, who sent cuttings to Thomas Jefferson, a mythology sprang up around Osage oranges that was very much tied up with "manifest destiny" ideology. Jonathan Turner, a professor who helped found the University of Illinois said that "God designed Osage Orange especially for the purpose of fencing the prairies." By 1869, there were an estimated 60,000 miles of Osage orange fencing across the Midwest. But by a decade or so later, barbed-wire became popular, cheap, and easier to deploy, so Osage orange hedges became far less common.

Osage oranges are in the mulberry family (Moraceae), and as such their leaves can also be used as food for silkworms, though silkworm farming is also far less common compared with a hundred years ago. Doubtless the most important use of Osage orange today is for it's impressive wood: the hardest, most durable, hottest-burning wood native to North America. Our beloved sorghum mill is powered by a decades-old "swing arm" made from the fallen limb of an osage orange tree (see photo). It's still in great condition. Fence-posts made from Osage orange can survive in soil and rain for a century or more. And the wood burns with such intense heat and sometimes produces so many sparks (especially when not properly dried) that it can crack chimneys and even blow up cast-iron stoves. Nevertheless, properly treated, it can provide excellent long-lasting heat when burned. Most famously, the wood is considered superior to all others for making bows and arrows (hence the name "bois d'arc"), and it's also perfect for docks and piers, musical instruments, and tool handles. The only downside is that trees seldom grow straight and tall, and many limbs tend to make it knobby. But its strength and versatility are more important than any drawbacks. It was once a favorite for wagon wheels, since it has a bending strength (MOR) of 20,000 psi (pounds per square inch), 50% higher than red oak's (another very hard and durable native wood). This bending strength is why it makes such perfect bows — one early 19th century account noted that a quality bow was worth as much as a horse and a blanket!

Most people only ever realize they're in the presence of an Osage orange tree in the fall, once it starts dropping its grapefruit-sized green fruit (which do bear a striking resemblance to a brain). These fruit can be processed into an edible starch, and some animals eat them, but they contain a very sticky latex that makes any processing challenging. They're also aromatic, and they have long been touted as a natural pest repellant, though there's apparently little evidence to support this claim. Nevertheless, some people line them up along the interior of doors to the outside to keep creepie-crawlies like cockroaches and mice from scuttling in. Extracts of the fruit have been found to have significant anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative properties.

One enduring mystery surrounding Osage oranges is why they evolved such large and unusual fruit. Squirrels sometimes eat the seeds, but they don't spread them far. Many people have theorized that they evolved as food for giant megafauna that used to roam across North America. Seeds were found in the remains of 12,000 year-old mastadon dung in Florida, and DNA fragments were found in dung from a Pleistocene era ground sloth. Horses can eat them, but they don't like them, and if they try to eat one whole it may choke them (as has often been a problem for cattle grazing around Osage oranges), leading to recommendations that only pollen-bearing (a.k.a. male) trees be planted as hedges.

Some Osage oranges are naturally thornless, so don't be surprised if some of yours are not thorny as advertised. This seed comes to us from Pennysylvania via the good folks at Sheffield's Seeds in Locke, New York.

GROWING TIPS: Seeds benefit from cold moist stratification for 30 days before planting. They may be fall planted as well. Keep young seedlings well weeded until they are strong enough to compete on their own.

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April L Patrick
New York, US
★★★★★ 5
Great Interactive Option
Color: Blue
To start, I have been very happy with this purchase. A couple of key points for me are durability and being able to keep my dog's attention. I have had it for almost a year, just a month shy, and she hasn't managed to get through the foam outer shell even though she tries real hard to do so. Let's just say, she's hard to find toys for because of her habit of finding the point of failure where she can pick and gnaw at until the toy is no longer safe for her to have. With this toy, she not only found her match, but it also has her watching, waiting, and even stalking. Only one small issue has recently occurred: the motor has started having an issue where the charge doesn't hold, and it doesn't remain on afterwards. I have reached out to Cheerble directly to see about replacing it since I am still within their 12-month timeframe, and they responded right away.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2026
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William Pearl
New York, US
★★★★★ 5
Quality product for the right dog...
Color: Orange
Honestly it's a really cool product well constructed and moves around on its own with several different modes. The design id brilliant with a tough rubber ball that unscrew to expose the element that makes it move in the middle. The dog won't be able to unscrew it but you can if you ever need to replace the ball for any reason but it would take some work for a dog to destroy the outer ball. Almost like "Kong" type material. The ball is about the size of a softball and the element inside is about the size of a golf ball. I thought my dog would love this but she was afraid of it, which is strange because she's afraid of nothing. Anyways I gave it to my neighbor upstairs and she has a yorkshire terrier who plays with it all the time so it all worked out great. Quality product . Good job!
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Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2026
B
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Becky Rumble
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 3
Thought it was a good idea but not for my dog
Color: Blue
Seemed great but my dog continued to bark at it. Finally she hid it and I haven’t looked for it.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2026
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JohnF
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 2
Durability
Color: Blue, Color: Blue
won’t give this product 1 star because my dog still had a good time with it for a few hours. After opening and preparing it, I gave it to my dog and it definitely caught his interest. However, when he chewed on it, plastic pieces started breaking off and he began swallowing them. This product is definitely not suitable for aggressive chewers.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2026
A
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Anne
San Leandro, US
★★★★★ 5
Winner !!!
Color: Orange
This amazed us. For perspective, we're talking about a three year old white german shepherd who if he's in the mood, has and can kill a toy within minutes or oddly enough be gentle with furry balls and carry them around as if they are his babies. He's an odd duck. Anyway, since he was a pup, and to this day, he'll play and entertain himself, he'll grab a ball, throw it up in the air, then pounce on it as if it's from outer space. It's really quite cute and funny. Because of those two things I was looking for something interactive that would entertain him and confuse him....let's be honest, watching a confused dog is one of life's great pleasures. I tried two other interactive balls and they were crushed immediately. After reading a lot of reviews, people with german shepherds said this ball actually had a life span. I thought the third time could be the charm and ordered one. Well, I think it actually may be from outer space because he's obsessed with it and hasn't taken a bite out of it. He hasn't once chewed it or even teared little pieces off. The three settings are great. Sometimes he likes one better than another, then forgets about the others. I'll change it up to one he hasn't seen in a while and the whole game starts over again. He'll throw it up in the air as he does with his others, watch it and try to figure out which way it's going to go. And yes, he will pounce on it if he times it right. The size is perfect, it's heavier than your average ball but, that's what make it sturdy. I have to sneak it away when he isn't paying attention to charge it, otherwise he'll sit, stare and cry if he knows it's on the counter charging. It's a lot of fun for all of us. I'm so happy I bought it...... I say give this ball a chance even if you have a beast with killer instincts. I'm buying another for a friends 2 year old golden retriever granddog. Thank you Cheerble.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2026

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