Monkey Balls: Why This Strange Tree Exists
You’ll find the Osage orange tree, nicknamed “monkey balls,” notable for its large, bumpy fruit and rich history. Native Americans crafted bows from its strong wood, while settlers used it as a natural livestock hedge. Its fruit isn’t edible and mostly avoided by animals but once relied on extinct megafauna for seed dispersal. The tree serves subtle ecological roles, like deterring insects and…











