Welcome! The bois d'arc (pronounced Bodark) tree, also known as the Osage Orange tree, (botanical name Maclura pomifera) is a species native to the great plains and the southern U.S.
It's called Osage Orange because of the orange-ish tint to its wood, which is exceptionally hard, dense, and supple. Native Americans preferred this wood to make bows, hence the name "bois d'arc" given to it by French explorers, which roughly translates to "bow".
Americans of anglo descent changed the pronunciation to the inelegant but easier to spell "bodark".
A most excellent live specimen of Maclura pomifera can be found on the campus of OSU at Stillwater. It's a good choice for a landscape tree when a large, broad, long-lived tree is called for.
Bois d'arc is a beautiful, often unappreciated landscape tree with a cool name and a place in American history. This is why I've chosen its name for the name of this blog.
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