osage, Bois d' arc

[RedTx]

IM thinking osage , and bois d arc is the same wood.  I have read on several sites that it is the same.  Im just looking for clarification?

If this is the case why does it seem everyone calls it osage.  I have very rarely every heard bois d arc called osage where I am from?

One more thing I got a place that has more than its far share of bois d arc trees.  How do you get a stave out of one?  Not that Im going to make a bow (cause I dont know how)but just intrestead.

[ironrhino]

well... i just thought it was easier to type and i've only heard it pronounced Bo'dark... so its complicated... ya know?

[kerry]

Yes, one in the same. Where I'm from (ark.) its call bois d'arc - not osage.

It was planted by settlers to become fencerows. It was also the tree in Normandy that our tanks couldn't penetrate until skid plates were added (the Hedges).

[4runr]

Yep, they are one and the same. Also Hedgeapple and a couple other names.

You go pick out a tree that doesn't have any twists in the bark, about 8" diameter, fairly straight for about 6 feet. Cut er down, seal the ends, take er home and take the axe and splittin mauls to it. Split out as many good staves as possible, peel the bark and sap wood off and seal the back immediatly. Then send em to me. No, just kidding on that last.

[Incognito]

Where Im from it's called a Horse Apple tree.

[BodarkOkie]

osage, osage orange, bois d'arc (wood of the bow), bodark, hedge, .....etc.

Or, as a good friend, Jim Sasser (recently deceased knife maker) used to call it, "Why do you like that old 'yellar wood' for handles on all your knives?"

[**DONOTDELETE**]

When I first got into trad archery, everyone was talking about osage. I had no clue as to what this was or where it could be found. Low and behold, it's what we referred to as a horse apple tree. All around here. We also have a town called Bois D'Arc about 30 minutes from me. Justin

[MAC]

I call it hedge

[Bodork]

It's bodork! You know, like dorktape! geeze

[Kip]

Bois d'arc is the French work for Osage which might be Indian not sure about that.Kip

[Flesner]

We called it "Fence Posts" when I was growing up.
It is prized for its ability to stay rot free for 50+ years when set in the ground.

Wish I had known about its value as bow wood back then! We cut thousands of 'em for fence post. I can't imagine how many fine bows have fence stapled to them!

[Shakes.602]

Hedge Apple around these here parts.

[DarkeGreen]

The Dunbar and Hunter Expedition along the Ouachita River in 1804-1805 was the first known scientific documentation of bois d'arc on the North American landscape. Their observations and collections were of trees apparently transplanted from more distant sources, as reported by their guides. On November 20, 1804, during discussion of potential and actual uses of various plants for dyes, McDermott states that "at this point in his official report Hunter wrote: This brings to recollection a tree called Bois d'Arc (Bow wood) being very elastic and used by the Indians to make their bows. It is more frequently called Bois jaune (Yellow Wood) used by them and the inhabitants as a dye.

Search Google for whichever name you wish and you'll find enough information to keep you reading for a life time.  

[Dryrot]

A lot of the old farmers call it hedge or bodark around here. And a darned awfull lot of them will cut it down and pile it up and burn it just to be rid of it. In my youth I cussed it many times for the flat tires the thorns on fallen branches caused me to have to repair. Once helped an uncle cut for fire wood and burn the brush from a 150' fence row of the stuff.

[Jason Lester]

I call it that %^$&#$%^%$%^# yellow wood when trying to split it for staves.

LOL        

Just kidding.