Rolandvue, 3rd Week October: Osage Oranges and Holly Berries

We thought that the Osage orange might not appear this year, like the mulberry and the gingko nut.  But with patience it is on the trees and beginning to fall in some numbers.  We have already mentioned the tree, its thorns and use as a early version of barbed wire. Still left unsolved is the mystery of who ate these fruits, probably in one gulp. Candidates are among the megafauna that became extinct as humans spread across North America.  The giant ground sloth is one possibility.   It is in the mulberry family so might have had the same weather or periodic production sensitivity.  Possibly the yield is slightly reduced.

It is native to the Red River valley in Texas, where the local indians profited by the popularity of Osage wood for bow making.  It is resistant to rot and burns efficiently, with high heat yield.
The trees are on the west side of Wagner going up the hill and the north side of Cloverlea near the lane.  The fruit is not toxic but said to be tough and tasteless. Squirrels will sometimes eat the seeds.

(I had a habit of saying sage orange, as in possum but the indian tribe for which it is named is Oh Sage in English so it is not a silent O?)

Just a photo of holly berries to show the seasonal timing.  Technically the red fruit is a drupe or stone fruit rather than a berry.  It is mildly toxic to humans but eaten by birds and small mammals.  This leads to spreading of the trees or bushes sometimes to an invasive extent. The holly is often evergreen, although overlooked when listing the evergreen trees. It has the characteristic shiny leafs with spiny edges.  The picture is from the north side of Rolandvue.  Not sure of the variety, there are the local favorite Nellie Stevens in the area.  That variety tends to be in hedges and have showier fruit, but it is early season.

Osage orange fruit, candy for the giant sloth?

Holly berries beginning,unknown variety