The Magic of Hedge Apples

The Osage orange, also known as a hedge apples (and in some areas, “monkey balls”), is a tree that grows in North America, and gets its name from the Osage Native American tribes who used its hard wood to craft bows for hunting. The “orange” itself is not a true orange (or an apple, for that matter) but a large, sticky fruit that is completely inedible to anyone but the local squirrel population. When the balls – usually about four to five inches in diameter – drop to the ground, it can create a huge mess, so generally it is recommended that if you plant an Osage orange, unless you want the fruits, you should plant the fruitless male trees.

That said, plenty of these grow in the wild, and they’ve become fairly popular in urban planning as a way of creating tree canopies and greenspace in areas that suffer from air pollution or poor soil quality. It’s not uncommon to walk through a city park and find Osage oranges dropping to the ground.

So, what can you do with a fruit that’s not really a fruit, and can’t be eaten except by forest rodents? Well, it’s got a few possibilities, although it’s not a particularly useful plant for most people.

The sap of the Osage orange can be used to create a yellow dye, which comes in handy if you like to dye your own fabrics.

Osage orange is a natural exterminator – placing them near your doorways or behind furniture will keep spiders and other crawling invaders out of your home. A fresh hedge apple will keep for about two to three months, but once it’s lost its greenish color, throw it away.

Early settlers planted Osage orange trees and formed them into hedges – this was the original barbed wire fencing, because the thorns of the male plants kept livestock from wandering past the borders of the farm or field.

On a magical level, let’s take a look at the above – if the Osage orange contains a chemical that keeps unwanted critters out, and has been used as a barrier in the past by early American settlers, how can we translate that into a magical use?

Why not collect hedge apples from a local tree, and place them strategically around your property? As you do, focus on keeping unwanted guests – both animal and human – out of your life. You can also place them in bowls and baskets around the house – this will not only act as a spider and insect repellent, but you can assign your hedge apples the task of repelling anyone who might cause you harm or nuisance.

Plant Osage orange seedlings in a line around the perimeter of your yard. As they begin to grow, bend and shape them into a hedge. Create not only a physical but a metaphysical barrier, so that the things you want to keep in stay in, and the things you don’t want, will stay outside.

If you happen to find a fallen branch of the Osage orange, consider crafting it into a wand or staff. The wood of this tree is extremely hardy and strong, and was used by Native Americans to craft hunting bows. Any wand or staff made from it is bound to last you a good long time, and can be used in spells associated with endurance, strength and longevity.