The Magick of Hedge Apples (Osage Oranges)

I have been intrigued by these since I was child. My mother and I would frequently go for rides in the car in the country, it was beautiful and cheap entertainment;) We used to drive down a hilly road that had an Osage tree hanging over it. In the fall, we would stop and pick up a basket full to decorate the house with. My mother taught me that not only were they good for keeping pests out of your home but also good for keeping other nasty things away, like tricky spirits. We would set them in bowls or pin a ribbon to them, like a pomander, and suspend them around the home, particularly from the trees and by windows. They have been used in homes for centuries to keep cockroaches, boxelder bugs, spiders, and crickets away and, perhaps, other pests as well;)

Very little is known, magickally about this strange fruit, but I love finding them and having their protective energy around. They are becoming increasingly rare due to the invention of barbed wire. It was once widely planted for it's long thorns-trimmed into a hedge, this created an impenetrable fence to contain livestock.

Osage oranges possess masculine energy and are associated with the elements of Spirit, Earth, and Fire. Named after the Osage tribe of the Great Plains region who used it's very hard, rot-resistant, non-shrinking wood for their bows. It is highly desirable and suitable for magickal tools as well. These fruits are famous for their associations with astral travel, and it's ability to attract spirit guides and animal guides. The fruit also aids with achieving goals and expressing passions, bringing your true purpose and abilities to light.