Osage Orange Tree

This is an Osage orange tree (we sometimes call it a mock orange, but that's incorrect):

The ball looking thing is the Osage orange tree fruit.

A little closer shot.

This tree is not native to Virginia. I'm not sure how our farm came to have Osage orange trees, but we have several. 

This one is right out my office window. It's been there for 35 years, and this is the first time I've noticed the fruit on it that identifies it as an Osage orange.

The Osage orange tree (Maclura pomifera), also known as hedge apple, horse-apple, or bodark, is a unique and interesting tree native to the south-central United States. Here are some key points about it:

• Appearance: It is a medium-sized deciduous tree, typically growing 30-50 feet tall. The tree has a short trunk, dense, round crown, and stout thorns. Its leaves are dark green, shiny on the upper surface, and paler with some hairs along the veins on the lower surface.
• Fruit: The tree produces distinctive, large, spherical, bumpy fruits that are bright yellow-green and about 3-6 inches in diameter. Despite its name, the fruit is not related to oranges and is generally not eaten by humans.
• Uses: Historically, the wood was highly valued by Native Americans for making bows, hence the name “Bois d’Arc” (bow-wood) in French. The tree was also used as a natural fence before the invention of barbed wire due to its dense, thorny growth.
• Modern Uses: Today, the Osage orange is often used as a windbreak and for erosion control. Its wood is still prized for its durability and resistance to decay.
• Ecological Role: The tree is considered a pioneering species, often invading exposed soils and overgrazed pastures. It can become locally dominant in such environments.