Out here in the midwest, at this time of year, hedge apples are a common site. Some people gather them and use them as a form of pest control around the foundation of their home to cut down on the cricket and spider populations. It hasn't done a thing for my crickets; luckily I live with 2 pest control specialists who are on the clock 24-7.
They are a lovely color though, and you would think there should be a good use for them.
May I suggest hedge apple bowling? The rules are simple. When you go out for your traditional Thanksgiving day hike this year pick up a few as you walk on the trail. When all participants have secured their apple, give them an underhanded roll just as if you were at the bowling alley. The one whose apple stays on the trail the longest without veering into the woods wins. This game can be enjoyed by all hikers from age 3 on up.
The guy in front there with the big leaf one a few years back. He was pretty excited about his prize. We let him do the thanksgiving dishes. He decided not to participate after that. Something about having to stay home to brine the turkey... no time for hiking nonsense.
Ok. This is a little weird. In Indiana we called them Osage oranges. and played something more like lawn bowling with them. But they make a pretty neat natural dye bath for wool yarn. Sadly, I have not found any here in my not rural at all Baltimore - Washington area. So bowl an extra for me this year!
Posted by: Claire | 11/15/2011 at 04:49 AM
I love these. They sell them at my local gardening store, and some people display them as a natural kind of potpourri. I've read that while nothing actually eats these things, some scientists theorize that they were once eaten by sloths that have since gone extinct. I don't know if that's true, but I love thinking about ancient sloths chomping away on these things :)
Posted by: Kelly Kautz | 11/15/2011 at 07:38 AM
Random trivia alert! Various names for this tree are: Maclura pomifera; Osage Orange; Hedge; Hedge Apple; Horse Apple; Bois d'Arc; Bodark...
Had many hedge trees on the farm where my hubby grew up. Love their chartreuse color. :)
Posted by: Judy H. | 11/15/2011 at 09:46 AM
I've never seen these before in my life! They look so pretty though; now it's on my list of things to do before I die: find hedge apple, bowl with it (but not with Carol's Thanksgiving party, in case I'm any good). Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Chelsy | 11/15/2011 at 10:14 AM
I went to a fall wedding a few years back and the table centerpieces had hedge apples as taper candle holders and bunches of wheat tied with ribbon. They simply drilled a hole to set the taper in. It was beautiful. It would make a pretty Thanksgiving centerpiece too! We played "baseball" with them as kids and I do put them in the unfinished parts of my basement to keep the spiders out. I was never sure if that was an old wives tale or not but my grandma told me to do it so I do!
Posted by: Jenny | 11/15/2011 at 02:30 PM
Yikes, there are hedge apples for sale in a local gardening faux design shop as part of a disply in a glass container with potpourri -- only $68 -- maybe you should start collecting those things.
Posted by: Violet Cadburry | 11/15/2011 at 05:09 PM
Note to Kelly: Skunks, racoons, squirrels, and o'possums will break and eat the centers and soft white interior once they've frozen and can be broken open.
Posted by: Crystal | 11/15/2011 at 06:25 PM
Aww, I liked my sloth fantasy :) But at least they serve some practical purpose.
Posted by: Kelly Kautz | 11/16/2011 at 07:26 AM
It took me a day to remember what they were, but out here we call those things osage oranges. Ages ago when I was dying wool with natural dyes I used them -- they make a rich yellow color. In fact, OMG now this is a memory I haven't had for a LONG time, but an organic chemistry teacher I had in college even isolated some of the pigment from osage oranges for me to try out as a dye! Wow, that must have been around 35 years ago! What a nice trip down memory lane! I don't remember where I used to see these, but they used to grow in Central and north central California along country roads... will have to go looking again! Thanks for the inspiration!!
Posted by: Rhonda | 11/16/2011 at 10:23 AM
I never saw these before, never even heard of these before. They are amazing. I love their color. (Almost the color of my house trim!) I've never been any good at bowling, can't imagine I'd be any good bowling with hedge apples, but I think it would be a lot of fun. Now if I could just find some.
Posted by: Sharon | 11/16/2011 at 08:39 PM