#Hedge apple skin#

In 1804, the explorer William Dunbar travelled along the Mississippi River and sent cuttings to President Jefferson.

вЂњIt takes more than 100 kilograms of Hedge Apples to produce 200 millilitres of oil, but to exclusively produce such pure magic in Australia is worth the effortвЂќ, explained Rupert.

#Hedge apple skin#

The wood and seeds are rich in pomiferin, a type of isoflavone that makes the wood useful as an insect repellent, antimicrobial and potentially with some anti-cancer properties.ДЄs the Benalla couple attest, the plantвЂ™s oil is where the magic lies вЂ“ its seeds are very high in both linoleic and oleic acids which have excellent wound-healing and skin hydration properties, albeit in tiny amounts. The wood has a beautiful deep orange hue and Native Americans searched far and wide for the wood to form bows which were strong, flexible and long-lasting. The trees produce wood that is highly-resistant to rot and makes excellent posts and timber with long-lasting durability, even being used to make wagon wheels and mine shaft timbers. Also known as the Osage Orange, they are related to Mulberries (Moraceae) and derive their name from the Osage Native Americans. It turns out they are species with a tremendously rich history and a unique ecology in their native habitat of North America. After his advice that the trees were excellent for the skin, the couple recently commercialised their find into a unique, niche business based on the plantsвЂ™ unique seed oils. In Benalla, Victoria, a knowledgeable local horticulturist advised Angie Hamilton and Rupert de Crespigny that the unusual trees on their property were Hedge Apples (Maclura pomifera).