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keith -> RE: Identify this fruit... (Oct. 22 2012 17:08:40)
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rombsix--as mordorito pointed out, it is the fruit (if you will) of the osage orange tree. the "fruit" is also called hedge apples. the trees have an interesting place in american history and science. during the early 20th century folks in the lower midwest and upper south often wrecked havoc on the environment and hedge apple trees (osage orange) were planted to help with erosion problems. the other and more famous plant to be used to combat erosion is kudzu. i suspect you have seen kudzu by now. interestingly, one man made thing that can be seen from outer space is the area around ducktown tennessee--it looks orange as that area was strip-mined to death. major kudzu problem over in that neck of the woods as well.
as to the science angle. when i lived in north carolina (near bryson city in the smokies--i worked in the ducktown area and northern georgia areas as well) i heard of locals using the fruit to ward off spiders and such. recently it was discovered the fruit is an effective mosquito repellant--better than avon's skin-so-soft and close to, if not equal, to DEET (DDT probably still ranks number one but some major issues with that stuff).
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