HedgeappleFruit.com - Biggest Hedgeapple Tree
The focal point of the grounds at Red Hill is the largest and oldest Osage Orange Tree in America. It has a span of ninety feet and stands fifty-four feet high.
Estimated to be 350 to 400 years old, the tree is listed in the American Forestry Hall of Fame, is a Virginia State Champion, and is a National Champion.
Named after the Osage Indians who used the wood for bows, the Osage Orange produces large, green inedible fruit, commonly called "mock oranges" or hedge apples."
Recent Guestbook Entries
I have a number of hiking sticks I'Ve made from the wood.
- Bob
I've spent eight years trying to identify the huge trees I have on my property. The tree books say Osage Orange are in Texas and grow to 50 feet tall and two feet diameter, so I did not think that was what they were. Then I found a few hedgeapples on the ground and realized that they came from the same kind of tree but smaller. How big is that one in Virginia? I may have competition. I would guess a couple are 90 feet tall and seven or eight feet around. However mine are dying and they look terrible. I have been trying to identify them to know how to remove them. Whenever I try to cut dead limbs it dulls my chain saw. I have green canopies way up there but huge hanging branches below that are dead and like iron. Two-thirds of the trees are gray stone branches. Can someone give me information on how to prune or remove them? They are either too old or all males I have a lot more trees than hedgeapples so they aren't very useful and scraggly as they are, they are very ugly.
- J.J.
Recent Survey Entries
Name: Patti
State: IL
Years used: 1
How many used: 2
Obtained: Grocery Store
Places where used: Bathroom and Bedroom
Pest After: Spiders!!!
Reduction Percentage:
Spiders: No Reduction
Cockroaches: Not Sure
Ants: No Reduction
Slugs: Not Sure
Crickets: Not Sure
Fleas: Not Sure
Date Obtained: July
Any initial activity? Yes
Started Working?: Never
Duration of Effect: Never
How widespread: Effects were not noticed!
Place them on a container? Never
General Comments: The only effect they seemed to have was to activate the spiders. They kept crawling aroung which was even more unnerving than when they sat in the corner and didn't move. I would not have minded all the movement as long as it was to move OUT! But they didn't. And I can't even be sure the increased activity was from the hedge apples since it is also the time of year (fall) when there is dramatic changes in the temperature which could also be the cause..
Did They Work: Maybe
Name: Margie
State: WI
Years used: 2
How many used: 1
Obtained: Other
Places where used: In the bathroom at our cottage in northern Wisconsin.
Pest After: spiders
Reduction Percentage:
Spiders: 100% Reduction
Cockroaches: Not Sure
Ants: Not Sure
Slugs: Not Sure
Crickets: Not Sure
Fleas: Not Sure
Date Obtained: July
Any initial activity? Yes
Started Working?: One Day
Duration of Effect: Four Months
How widespread: Widespread, throughout the house
Place them on a container? Always
General Comments: My sister-in-law bought an ugly green orange at a farmers market. She had no idea what it was. The guy selling it said it would take care of all the spiders in the cottage. It did!!! We kept it in the house until it turned brown which was about the same time it start to freeze. Last week I was at the cottage and if I saw one spider, I saw ten of them. I just order some hedge apples and can't wait to put them around my house and the cottage. .
Did They Work: Yes