# What Tennessee tree fruit is size grapefruit, green, aromatic, bumpy?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tennessee-tree-fruit-is-size-grapefruit-green-aromatic-bumpy/331763>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 19, 2005, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tennessee-tree-fruit-is-size-grapefruit-green-aromatic-bumpy/331763 "2005-11-19T03:32:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tennessee-tree-fruit-is-size-grapefruit-green-aromatic-bumpy/331763/21 "2005-11-20T18:02:51Z")

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> [@vetbridge](#):
>
> As a kid growing up in Pennsylvania, we called them “monkey balls”.

Monkey Balls are kiwi fruit.

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**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tennessee-tree-fruit-is-size-grapefruit-green-aromatic-bumpy/331763/22 "2005-11-20T19:03:51Z")

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> [@vetbridge](#):
>
> As a kid growing up in Pennsylvania, we called them “monkey balls”.

In PA and NJ I heard them called “monkey brains”. I’m pretty sure we also called them Osage Oranges.

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**Author:** ![Kiminy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Kiminy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiminy)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2005, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tennessee-tree-fruit-is-size-grapefruit-green-aromatic-bumpy/331763/23 "2005-11-20T22:35:55Z")

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A common term for osage oranges here in Kentucky is [spider ball](http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/spidermyth/myths/skineggs.html), because of their reputation for keeping spiders (and other insects) away. We tried it in our basement, but the fruit just rotted. ☹

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**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2005, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-tennessee-tree-fruit-is-size-grapefruit-green-aromatic-bumpy/331763/24 "2005-11-21T02:44:07Z")

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> [@ggurl](#):
>
> My dad makes Stone Age style arrows and bows and he says that the best wood for bows comes from the osage orange tree.

I’ve got a chunk of a tree in my basement right now just for that purpose. I cut it down about 12 years ago. I’ve left the bark on, and painted the ends to help reduce the splitting as it dries. Don’t know when I’ll get around to making a bow, but if I don’t, I’ll be happy to let someone skilled in the art have a crack at it.

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