What is an Osage-Orange? (Patagonia, AZ)

I saw these deformed looking tennis balls (or are they deformed aliens?) once in Texas along the road and I promptly forgot about them until they showed up on the preserve about a month ago.  Dan was curious enough to look up the strange looking ...well, at the time we were not sure.  Anyway, he found out these green balls are fruits from the Osage-Orange tree a.k.a Hedge tree.  The Hedge tree has very long and thick thorns.  The tree was planted as a hedge because cattle would not go through them.  If they were kept trim, they would not bare fruit.

 Yes, this is a fruit, but only deer and squirrels eat them.  For awhile, we saw no evidence of anything eating the fruit then Dan found a half Osage-orange propped in a tree. hmm  Did someone put it there or did an animal leave it?  We were thinking a visitor put it there until...

We saw this squirrel moving around the fallen Osage-oranges.  He finally found one he liked and picked it up.  

What a mouth full!

 He found himself a comfortable spot and had lunch while we watched him.

Nom!Nom!Nom!

Burp!

Well, I learned something new! :0)

More information about this fruit from IAStateEdu.