The fruit of the Osage orange is the size of a softball (~12 inches in circumference), and it is thought that it may have been consumed by long-extinct members of the megafauna, while the wood is excellent for making archery bows and has a high heat output.

When the tree's fruit falls in autumn, it is easy to spot. Firstly, because of the aforementioned size, and secondly, because it is bright green. It is worth noting that the fruit of the Osage orange is larger than that of any other native North American tree species. The tree has an interesting story that very few people know.

Osage orange trees are not related to oranges; biologically, they are closer to mulberry trees. The most common name for the fruit is hedge apple, but they are also called horse apples, Irish snowballs or monkey brains. Relatively few animal species consume the fruit, although some squirrel species do eat the seeds. The fruit is inedible to humans.