Large Worthless Fruit

Fruit of the Osage Orange tree

This fruit has many nicknames --

hedge apple,

monkey brain,

hedgie (my kids' invention).

It's a little bigger than a softball.

We have many Osage Orange trees on our property. They are named for the Osage Indian tribe and the orange color of their pulp. Their branches were sought out by the Indians for making bows, because of their bendability. The branches are also thorny, and the trees were often planted in rows (by Europeans) to provide a hedge along a field or property line.

Here's one smooshed in our driveway. :)