Osage-Orange--Ghosts of Evolution

[arboretum_amy]

Who heard of the name Osage-Orange before joining iNat?

The tree we have in cultivation in California is labeled with that common name. Actually I thought it was native to Asia until I read this thread yesterday!

[er1kksen]

I’m from the northeastern US and first encountered the species as a kid living briefly in Kentucky (in a state park, apparently one of the largest of its kind). I have really only ever heard it or seen it labeled as Osage Orange, though I’ve been aware of the other common names from reading books on trees.

[jnstuart]

I learned Osage Orange when I found a row of such trees in New Mexico and had to look up what the heck species it was. That was many years ago. Bodark was the other name I learned, presumably a corruption of Bois d’Arc (bow wood).

[mira_l_b]

Me! here from my favorite local soil scientist, horticulturist and self-proclaimed farmdener:
http://www.leereich.com/2018/10/fiery-colors.html

I’m in NY (hudson valley)

[jimbee]

I first saw an Osage Orange when I was 9 or 10, wading down the stream behind my house. It was sitting on the bank and I’d never seen anything like it! Scared the hell out of me, I though it was an alien egg. Then completely forgot about it until maybe 2 years ago when it was referenced in an unrelated Youtube video, and that’s when I found out what it actually was. Much more interesting than an alien egg in my opinion.

[jnstuart]

This topic made me dig out an old pressed specimen I collected in 1990, filed with print photos of the tree and fruits, and add that record to iNat. I knew I’d kept those materials for some purpose.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33441290

[mira_l_b]

filed with print photos of the tree and fruits, and add that record to iNat.

link it here!

[octobertraveler]

Cool–someone else thinks they look like brains. :)