Here in the Owasso Oklahoma area we live on the edge of the awesome prairie as well as the edge of the Ozark mountains which stretch into Missouri and Arkasas. That means we have a very unique landscape that offers fun surprises at times, such as this Oklahoma Osage Orange.
I came across this softball sized oddity one day while I was out showing property in the Oologah, Oklahoma area. It's called an Oklahoma Osage Orange but is also known as a Monkey Ball, Hedge Ball, Horse Apple, Green Brains or even a Mock Orange. In Texas, I'm told they're called Horse Apples.
Old Timers believed that the Hedge Apple was a natural insect and spider repellent. To that end, people will keep an Oklahoma Osage Orange or Hedge Apple in their home. In the AC, it will last a couple of months.
The Hedge Apple tree is native to southern Oklahoma and northern Texas around the Red River area, but can be found in places such as Virginia. While not poisonous, they can be dangerous to livestock when eaten because they can get lodged in an animal's throat and choke them to death.
Here's an intersting fact about this weird and fun tree and (fruit?). Not all Hedge Apple trees will bear the fruit because some of the trees are males and some are females. I'm not sure which one bears the fruit. Another fun fact is that the Osage Orange tree is a cousin tree to the mulberry tree.
Here's a picture of the area where I came across this Osage Orange.
You can see that there were lots of Monkey Balls on the ground. It was a fun find!
For more information about the Oklahoma Osage Orange, check out the following...
Hedgeapple.com has lots of facts about this intersting tree.
You can buy Hedge Apples here!
This guy makes bows out of Hedge Apple wood
if if you have hedge apples in your part of the world, leave a comment telling us where you live!
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