What is that strange-looking, lime green object lying on the forest floor?

Neil Garrison
The fruit of a native tree called the Osage orange is a strange-looking, lime green object found in nature. If perhaps you do not recognize that name, it's also called hedge apple, horse apple and bois d'arc.
The fruit of a native tree called the Osage orange is a strange-looking, lime green object found in nature. If perhaps you do not recognize that name, it's also called hedge apple, horse apple and bois d'arc.

On your rambles out into the forest at this time of the year, you might happen upon a strange-looking object laying there on the forest floor. It is somewhat akin to the shape of a softball, but the lime green color sets it apart from what you would otherwise expect to find on a ball diamond. Then again, that "human brain" texture on the surface of this round globe is but one more fascinating feature of this mesmerizing "thing."

It is the fruit of a native tree called the Osage orange. If perhaps you do not recognize that name, I will offer up some alternatives: hedge apple, horse apple and bois d'arc ("bow-dark").

Tree squirrels will eat the seeds that are contained within, but that seems to be the case if other (more desirable) foodstuffs are no longer present.

My suggestion is that you should gather up a few and put them on your home's front porch. Just imagine the shock and consternation that you will cause when the package delivery person comes up to your home's front door.

Or, then again, that may be too devious of a ploy to pull on that service personnel.

You be the judge.

Neil Garrison was the longtime naturalist at a central Oklahoma nature center. His email is atlatlgarrison@hotmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Fruit of Osage orange tree also hedge apple, horse apple, bois d'arc

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