Warning: ‘Unusual Fruit’ Found in Hudson Valley is ‘Not Edible’

Officials are making sure Hudson Valley residents don't eat a very unusual orange. While you shouldn't eat it, it can help around the house the annoying pests.

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The Osage orange is found throughout the Hudson Valley, Scenic Hudson reports. However, it's not an orange and it is not edible.

"Now’s the time to spot one of the most unusual fruits found in the Hudson Valley: the Osage orange. FYI, it’s not edible and it’s not an orange. It’s actually a member of the mulberry family," Scenic Hudson states.

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The Osage orange tree was originally native to Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. It was naturalized in the United States in the 19th century because the tree's thorny stems act like a barbed-wire fence before barbed wire was invented.

The tree grows quickly and produces Osage oranges which Scenic Hudson describes as " icky-green, softball-sized fruit covered with nodules."

Once ripe Osage oranges fall to the ground which can cause injuries or property damage, according to the New York State Urban Forestry Council.

The Osage orange is also known for its ability to repel insects. Despite not liking the smell, Cockroaches are attracted to the smell and the Osage orange can be used to kill cockroaches when the orange is crushed, mixed with water and turned into a spray, Hunker reports.