‘Unusual Fruit’ Found in New York, Hudson Valley is ‘Not Edible’

Officials are making sure New Yorkers don't eat a very unusual fruit. While you shouldn't eat it, it can help around the house the annoying pests.

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

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 tree was native to Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. In the 19th century, it was naturalized in the United States because the tree's thorny stems act like a barbed wire fence before barbed wire was invented.

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

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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.

While no place in the Hudson Valley made the list, the region has received a ton of praise recently.