Can you Identify unusual brain-like fruit? - Ask Extension
I work at the Saginaw County MSU Extension office, a gentleman brought in what looks like a fruit to be identified. He has an old tree and these fruit...
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Can you Identify unusual brain-like fruit? #435510
Asked November 28, 2017, 1:46 PM EST
I work at the Saginaw County MSU Extension office, a gentleman brought in what looks like a fruit to be identified. He has an old tree and these fruit-like things grow on the tree. They are larger than a baseball (this one is about the size of a grapefruit), yellowish/green in color (pictures attached).
Saginaw County Michigan
Expert Response
This is an osage orange (scientific name Maclura pomifera), also sometimes called a hedge apple. The fruit is not considered palatable.
The wood has various uses. There is a common rumor that the fruit repel spiders, but there is no good evidence for this.
Wikipedia has a nice summary here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maclura_pomifera
The wood has various uses. There is a common rumor that the fruit repel spiders, but there is no good evidence for this.
Wikipedia has a nice summary here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maclura_pomifera
