They're big, kind of funny-looking, and are said to scare away spiders. So why would I want them to decorate my home? Well, a flower-designer friend recently used hedge apples in some arrangements for a rustic wedding and they were perfect! Which made me want my own hedge apple arrangement. But, since I'm already happily married with no new ceremonies in sight, I'm considering hedge apples for seasonal decor. Here are a few ideas I turned up:
Use them in wreaths (though they're a bit big, so the wreath would have to be a doozie), pair their spring-y green with orange pumpkins, or just pile them up alone in a vase or urn! Hedge apples are the perfect color and interesting texture on a simple shape to fit right into contemporary, traditional, or anything-in-between homes.
Shown above:
1. Better Homes & Gardens
2. The Polo House
3. She's a Betty
4. Project Possessed
5. Upstairs Downstairs
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Just don't lose one in your car... Years ago I picked one up (because it looked cool) and then was in a bumper-thumper accident. While my car was in repair, the thing decomposed and the car never smelled the same after! (It was bad. VERY bad.) ;^)
Hmm, "hedge apple" is a new name to me. "Osage Orange", "horse apple", "bois d'arc" fruit, "bodarc", "iron wood" fruit. You can cut the wood before it dries out. The sap can be sticky.
@m.wall I always knew them as Monkeyballs. Apparently we are pretty lowbrow. :)
@m.wall We always called them "hedge apples" but I've heard "Osage Orange", too. I grew up on a farm and "horse apple" had a different meaning! :)
Does anyone know where I can get that tray? I just tried googling it and I am having no luck.
I've always know them as hedge apples as well. At least they do make a nice decoration because I have no idea what else they can be used for.
On a side note, you can use them around the house to deter spiders.
They are osage orange fruits. Osage orange trees were used to create hedgerows on pre industrial farms, so the name hedge apple is reasonable.
These fruits do not have the longevity of pumpkins and squash. So, I second SherryBinNH's advice to use these for arrangements you'll only be using short term, especially in areas with warmer fall temperatures.
we called them brain fruit :p
Saw a nice arrangement in a magazine of monkey brains and Rusian sage.
Yup all names for the same tree fruit.
The wood was used by natives for bows because it is such a strong and durable wood. Apparently, the wood was used as a yellow-orange dye.
A chemical in the fruit can also repel mosquitoes, ticks, spiders, roaches, and crickets.
I'm with you. Growing up in the Northeast, we called them monkeyballs. Once I moved down South, we called them horse apples.
Osage orange. I wouldn't mind growing a few along the fence. If they deter spiders, I'm all over them.