Hedge Apples

I picked up hedge apples today to used as insect repellants in my crawl space.  They are called Osage Orange  (Maclura pomifera) and are native to Oklahoma.  Jonathan Baldwin Turner introduced them to Illinois as a living fence.  The wood makes excellent firewood and fence posts. The posts are very resistant to rot.  I also knew of someone who had his Osage Orange milled into hardwood flooring and shipped to Japan.  The heartwood is greenish yellow. I found a website that says it is edible.  I have seen squirrels tear them apart to eat the seeds. 

Hedge Apple

In a tree

Osage Orange Tree