-
#17
08-31-2012 16:18
Re: "What is it?"
I agree, this is a fruit from a Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera). It is a tree that is native only to a small area in north Texas and OK. It was planted during the 1930's as a cheap hedge fence row though out the eastern US. Roving groups of men in the depression went from farm to farm to plant these hedge row for ten cents a 100 feet. Since it has thorns and cattle will not push through it. The fruit in the picture is termed a multiple. Think pineapple which is also a multiple. As is the mulberry fruit which is in the same family (Moraceae) as the Osage Orange. The fruit is not toxic. At a certain point as this hard fruit begins to decay is products a milky latex which sticks to anything such as fingers and is hard to remove. This latex fouls chain saws and ruins the chain. People in the 18th century believe that this latex kept away spiders thus these fruits were place in the corners of room to "...ward off" spiders and other insects. There were also used in children's room to keep a variety of diseases away. It was pure folklore and no science behind it. Yes the wood is very beautiful with a pronounced orange color. But, no that is not where the last name in Osage Orange comes from. The wood flexes and can bend 180 degrees without bending because of the very long vessels in the wood. The wood was second only to yew wood for making bows. -
#16
04-25-2012 19:16
Re: "What is it?"
AKA..Horse apple...in the south... -
#15
01-08-2009 19:06
Re:
Its the meteroite from Joe Dirt.
Actually the nickname is horse apple. The first reply is correct -was it sticky? -
#14
12-25-2008 14:14
Re: "What is it?"
It's also called a hedge apple. The wood is great for making fence posts and outdoor use lumber because it is very dense and rots very slowly -
#13
12-18-2008 13:53
Re: "What is it?"
My uncle has these all over his yard... it's a hedge apple -
#12
10-04-2007 23:58
Re:
Osage Orange -- look up Maclura pomifera on Wikipedia
There have been many times Trout fishing in northern New Jersey when I've heard a VERY loud solash in the water behind me and thought it was a large animal coming into the water. Turns out it was one of these osage oranges falling into the water. About the size of an average grapefruit but somewhat heavier! -
#11
04-16-2007 18:36
Re:
Originally Posted by magic_game03 -
#10
08-10-2004 20:55
It is an Osage Orange, It is somewhat toxic, we used them to keep rodents away.
-
#9
07-30-2004 00:38
it\'s rare ancient yellow mountain kryptonite from the plannet TP. if you use it properly you can ward of ward lennard, leap tall mountains like BJ, and hike to enternity like EZ1. or trade it to GW as a weapon of mass destruction for all the gold in the world!!!
-
#8
11-18-2003 23:28
Looks like an osage orange to me, I'm 99.99% sure. They are toxic, or so I'm told. Like an orange, it is a seed container. The wood was highly prized for making bows, and is VERY beautiful.
Comments for "What is it?" (15)