Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: danlaw on August 11, 2012, 02:48:55 am
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Anybody try Indian Plum? I cut a stave the other day - thought I'd give it a try as I have good luck with ornamental plum. Seems a bit light though.
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Heard it's good for arrows... :)
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Most of the fruiting trees will make good bows.
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Well, Pat, that's a very risky phrase in this situation. "Indian plum" is not a plum you would eat...it's just a (confusing) vernacular name. So what is a fruiting tree? Most trees will produce fruits, but not fruits you would find near the vegetables in the supermarket.
Indian plum, Oemleria cerasiformis, is better known as Osoberry, I guess. It's the sole member of the genus Oemleria. But it is also a member of the rose-family, as are many "fruit trees" such as cherry, apple and plum. So it is a somewhat related to those orchard fruit trees, but not very closely. It wouldn't be fair to state that all members of the rose-family would yield wood good for bows.
I think a search for "osoberry" should yield several good topics here. I remember the species being discussed not too long ago.
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Thanks for the info! Much appreciated.
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Indian plum is often used to describe Prunus americana also, so it isn't necessarily osoberry. I have some osoberry drying, but I haven't tried to make a bow out of it yet. It's extremely dense stuff; I have a 6 foot piece about as big around as my little finger and it barely bends. Its stiffer than ocean spray, and I worry about it being brittle, though I don't really have a reason to think that it is.
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DarkSoul, this is a good example for the use of botanical names rather than common names. I was assuming he was talking about Prunus americana, a wild native plum.
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My comment about Indian plum for arrows was referring to Oemleria cerasiformis.
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I also thought you were referring to wild plum. That makes a god bow, good arrows and good little plums. Never tried osoberry.
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Hmmm. I am pretty sure what I have is Darksoul's Osoberry, but it is not nearly as dense as Oceanspray. I was actually a little worried that it was a light-weight wood (thus the post), but it looks as if it will turn out just fine. I hope so as it is fairly plentiful (and grows straight). I think I'll have to go back and give it another 'hefting' to compare. Thanks guys.
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Then I believe you have the wrong stuff Osoberry is pretty heavy! :)
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Yes, it is making me wonder....
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A picture is worth a thousand posts! ;D
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OK, 100% it is Osoberry. Grape sized yellow/redish fruits turning dark purple black plus a match on the leaves. Still, the piece I have is not as dense as ocean spray or vinemaple. Maybe this grove grew fast. The rings are certainly wider than any os and vm I have. I am going back to the spot tomorrow to make sure I took the right stuff (and to get a few more). I grabbed some wild cherry from the same spot - thought I'd give that a try too; my wife suggested I make something out of the cherry pitch (trunks are covered in it).
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can you take pics of the bark?
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Maybe on the way back I can get a pic. My wife has our camera on the coast (I am travelling between Vancouver and Tofino). I am starting to think that though I was in a grove of plum and cherry and cut something else in my haste. I am glad I posted this. We'll see tomorrow!