I was visiting someone today and as I was approaching their house, strange green objects on the neighbour's pavement caught my eye and I had to go and see what they were.
On closer inspection, it turned out to be fallen fruit although nothing I'd ever seen before. The smell was not unpleasant, slightly reminiscent of apples.
Google to the rescue: these are Maclura pomifera , Horse Apples or Osage Orange. Despite the apple and orange names, it's actually a member of the mulberry family. One of nature's oddities: an inedible fruit, eaten by neither animals or humans, because it contains a sticky latex sap.
In the spirit of trying everything at least once, I can confirm that the latex tastes nasty.
Although the fruit reminds me of fruit from Asia, this tree is native to the USA. The wood is very hard and durable and was much prized by Native Americans for making bows
when I was little these trees grew near my school, I remember that we often did snowballs with these fruits, what a pain!
Later I learned that the fruits were not edible, and that if they are managed they cause dermatitis ...
They are hard and heavy, children are naughty!
they are said to be good when they sleep ^^
they are!
I was thrilled by your anxiety though you said the fruit is not edible. This got me smiling sheepishly because I would have done same thing :)
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Haha!
Very interesting fruit and very original. I see this for the first time.
This may have been left behind by some visiting UFOs!
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Primera vez que veo algo así. Es usted persona arriesgada, al tratar de saborear esa fruta. Recuerdo aquella historia que leí de la época de la conquista, cuando algunas personas consumieron una fruta desconocida, que les era muy dulce y agradable su sabor y la comieron muchos, luego pasaron por cuadros de diarrea incontrolable, que les ocasionó la muerte. Claro no es su caso. Pero es una experimentadora osada. Felicito su curiosidad y su riesgo. gracias por compartir esa imagen.
Thanks for tasting it so that I don't have to. Upvoted 'n ReSteemed.
Hehe!
That's a new one to me. In travels to Central America I discovered there are an astonishing number of edible fruit. Even with common fruit, like bananas, there is an amazing variety. I would have tried it too. :-)
There are 7 different kinds of edible indigenous wild fruits growing on the hill behind my house and many more in other parts of the country
Are any of them worth cultivating?
Here's a free vote, just for being you!! Have an amazing day!!