Osage Orange - A Living Artifact of Old Cahawba

Also known as hedge apple, horse apple, bodock, and bois d’arc, the Osage Orange (Maclura Pomifera) has a long history as a natural fence. Native to parts of Texas and surrounding areas, the tree was brought east by settlers and planted extensively because its dense, thorny branches created an effective barrier for livestock—especially before barbed wire became common.

At Old Cahawba, Osage Orange hedgerows were used to mark property boundaries and protect areas from wandering animals. An 1855 issue of the Dallas Gazette reported that the “Town Authorities” planted an Osage Orange hedge around the New Cemetery. The newspaper noted, “The civilization and refinement of the living has no better judge than the condition of the cemeteries of the dead.”

Today, only remnants of these historic hedges remain, with many trees having grown into impressive specimens. You can find Osage Orange near the picnic area and in other locations throughout the park.

Their unusual grapefruit-sized green fruits are a familiar sign of late summer and fall at Cahawba. While folklore claims the fruits repel pests such as cockroaches and silverfish, that idea is more tradition than proven.

The next time you encounter an Osage Orange at Old Cahawba, take a closer look. You may not simply be looking at a tree—you may be looking at a living piece of Cahawba’s history.