What Are Those Green Balls in Indiana and Kentucky? Turns Out, They’re Kind of Amazing

The Strange Stinky Fruits We Found on the Playground

Growing up, I remember spending afternoons on the playground at my elementary school. In the back corner, near the monkey bars, there was a concrete tube we could play in. We had to watch out for the broken glass. I also distinctly remember there were always walnut shells on the ground and these big green balls that were the size of softballs. The teachers told us not to pick them up and throw them at each other. I thought they looked weird, so I stayed away. Turns out, they are really beneficial to humans!

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What Is a Hedge Apple?

I didn’t really know anything about this fruit until I ran across a video yesterday. Apparently, they are native to Indiana, Kentucky, and the south-central United States. And they were a food source for large mammals long before humans ever roamed around these parts.

They are commonly called "hedge apples" because farmers would line their property with the trees. If the trees were heavily pruned, they formed a thick, thorny barrier which kept out free-range livestock from vegetable gardens and corn fields.

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The Many Names of Osage Orange

The Osage orange has many names including mock orange, horse apple, hedge apple, hedge ball, monkey ball, pap, monkey brains, and yellow-wood. Oh yes, monkey brains! Though they are actually the fruit of Osage orange trees, interestingly enough they are not related to the orange.

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Are Hedge Apples Poisonous?

Though the hedge apple isn't poisonous, it has an incredibly bitter taste, so humans and animals alike don't find it appetizing.

Uses of Osage Orange Wood

It has been used for medicinal purposes and some people swear the smell keeps pests like insects and mice out of homes. The Comanche formerly used a decoction of the roots topically as a wash to treat sore eyes.

The dense wood of the Osage orange tree is strong, flexible, and durable. Native Americans used the wood to make weapons like bows, and now it's used to make instruments and furniture.

It's Just a Really Cool Find

Who knew that the strange green “monkey brains” I avoided on the playground were actually the fruit of such an amazing and historically rich tree? From natural fencing to medicine, and from weapons to furniture, the Osage orange has played a much larger role than most people realize.

Here's the video I saw. Learn something today!