What is bodark wood?

The bodark tree (Maclura pomifera) is a common tree in Arkansas, known to live in at least forty-seven of the state’s seventy-five counties. The name “bodark” is a slurring of the French “bois d’arc,” meaning “wood of the bow”—a reference to the Osage Indians’ practice of making bows from the tree.

What is bodark wood good for?

The tree is commonly called “bodark” which is derived from a French word meaning “bow wood.” Now, besides firewood the tree is commonly used for fence posts because it can be buried in the ground for decades without rotting or being attacked by insects.

Is bodark wood hard?

The wood is hard, heavy and dense, has a specific gravity of . 80, and is resistant to rot. Osage orange (Maclura pomifera), is also known as bow-wood, bodark, boduck, horse-apple or bois d’arc.

Is bodark and Osage orange the same?

The tree was native to Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, but in the last century the tree has “escaped” and is found throughout the U.S. It is most commonly known as Osage orange, but other names include hedge, hedge-apple, yellow-wood, bowwood, Osage apple, and bodark (from the French bois d’arc, meaning bow wood).

Where does bodark trees grow?

In Texas it’s known as a Bodark or Horse Apple Tree. These trees grow along creeks and are very tough trees. I have heard that the wood of the Bodark is the hardest wood found in North America. I’m not sure how true that is, but it is a very hard and rot resistant wood.

Do bodark trees have thorns?

Sapling bois d’arcs have sharp thorns. The bois d’arc is best known for the durability and attractiveness of its very hard wood. The annual growth rings in the heart wood of freshly sawn bois d’arc are dark brown and lined with lemon yellow.

How long does a bodark tree live?

The yellow-orange color of the wood makes it attractive for many different uses. Osage orange typically lives about 75 years with a moderate growth rate of about 1 foot per year. The state champion is located on Oak Street in the City of De Kalb.

What is the hardest wood in the world?

Australian Buloke
1. Australian Buloke – 5,060 IBF. An ironwood tree that is native to Australia, this wood comes from a species of tree occurring across most of Eastern and Southern Australia. Known as the hardest wood in the world, this particular type has a Janka hardness of 5,060 lbf.

Is Osage orange wood valuable?

The French settlers found the Osage orange to also be a valuable resource for wood, and they used it a lot because of its durability and strength. They used the wood for everything from their covered wagons to wagon wheels, as it could bear a heavy load.

How hard is Osage orange wood?

Osage orange is exceptionally hard and strong. The bending strength (MOR) is over 20,000 psi (50 percent more than red oak). Hardness is around 2000 pounds (100 percent more than red oak).