What Are Osage Oranges?

By

DRinVA

Another name for Osage Oranges is Hedge Apples. They do really work. Cut them up (but make sure you put a plate under them as they leak) or leave them whole. I bought mine in a grocery store in the Fall.
I had lots of spiders in my basement bathroom so I put one in a paper bag and for over 6 months I never saw another spider.

By

Mary Moo

I moved into my house over three years ago and the first fall had quite a bit of spiders, esp. in the basement. Well, someone told me about using hedgeapples (or hedgeballs) so I went out and found some. It's not too hard to do... just drive along forested roads and look for the big green hedgeballs hanging from the tree. I brought about a dozen or so home, put them in plastic bowls and hid them around the house and three years later, I rarely find a spider. I will be going out in the next week or two to get a bag full for this fall. As I said, just put them in plastic bowls (in the house) or lay them around the garage floor in corners. As the months go by, they will turn black and then you can throw them out. Be aware, they can be sticky to the touch.... and they do work for me! You can do an internet search for hedgeapples for more info.

By

Kaelle

Unfortunately it is a myth that osage oranges repel spiders. I would fill the house with them if it were true.

http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/spidermyth/myths/skineggs.html

There is a pic of osage oranges there too.

By terestiff (Guest Post)

Osage oranges are the "fruit" from hedge trees. They are softball sized hard green balls that are knobby. They were planted in the midwest to prevent erosion. Look up osage orange on the internet.