Re: OT: Bois d'Arc
Walter, thanks for the bit of folklore about horse apples and scorpions.
That's a new one for me (arachnids are my academic interest).
I don't think the tree is abundant enough in these parts for a common name
other than "osage orange" to be applied to the fruits. The tree is
actually native only to a rather small area just to the west of the lower
Mississippi valley--east Texas, Arkansas, parts of Louisiana, Mississippi
and Alabama (trying to recall the map in a tree book), Because it grows
fast and has thick, spiny branches, it was planted around the country as a
hedge--that's how it comes to be here, but only in a few places. We have a
half-dozen sizable trees on campus which are all in vague row, probably
remains of an ancient hedge. The Red Hill tree was undoubtedly planted
there when Henry was still in residence. I recall seeing a lot of it in
Ohio, too, while in college there.
One of our trees is close to the road and the "oranges" roll out into
traffic. A few years ago one of the students ran his car into a post
trying to swerve to run over one of the fruits!
Bill Shear
Department of Biology
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney VA 23943
(804)223-6172
FAX (804)223-6374
email<bills@mail.hsc.edu>
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