Festive gourds appeared in grocery stores weeks ago, but the trees in the park catch up in their own time and decorate the grass with their own bulbous ornaments. Fall means the pop and splat of acorns, walnuts, and persimmons hitting the ground, and among them you might come across a cluster of those bright green, softball-sized brain-balls: the Osage oranges.
The Osage orangetree, or Maclura pomifera, is called “Osage” after the Native American tribe thatprized its exceptionally strong and flexible wood for bow making. As for the “orange,”it isn’t named after its fruit–though you’d be forgiven for guessing so; itsfruit is similar in shape and size to a navel orange. But the name actuallycomes from the orange-colored undertones of its bark.
As a nature lover I’m always delighted to come across evergreen trees graced with ornamental green spheres. These verdant globes come in diverse shapes and serve varied purposes from housing seeds to attracting wildlife. When borne on evergreens, they provide year-round intrigue.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the most striking evergreen trees characterized by green balls and what makes them special Understanding these botanical wonders provides insight into nature’s ingenuity and deepens our appreciation for the living world
American Holly
A standout evergreen, the American holly flourishes across the eastern United States. Its leathery oval leaves maintain a deep green hue year-round and feature spiny tips that deter browsing animals. The tree produces small green spheres that ripen into bright red berries, a great source of food for birds and small mammals during winter. Its prickly foliage also provides shelter for birds.
Beyond wildlife value, the American holly’s red berries and pointy leaves carry cultural symbolism, often representing holiday cheer. While the berries are toxic to humans, the tree adds ornamental value to landscapes. The American holly thrives in moist, acidic, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade.
Southern Magnolia
An icon of the South, the stately southern magnolia charms with its huge, fragrant white blossoms and deep green leaves. Metallic green cones stud its branches, splitting open at maturity to reveal red seeds relished by wildlife. These evergreen trees prefer rich, moist soil and thrive in warm climates.
Southern magnolias are symbols of hospitality, nobility and perseverance. Their striking flowers, seed cones, and adaptability make them treasured landscape trees. They require little maintenance beyond pruning of lower branches as the tree matures. The southern magnolia truly shines as a focal point specimen.
Holly Oak
Also called holm oak, the holly oak is an elegant broadleaf evergreen tree found across coastal areas of the Mediterranean. Its leathery, spiny-margined leaves resemble those of holly, giving rise to its common name.
While comparatively small for an oak at 40-60 feet tall and wide, the holly oak forms a dense, evenly rounded canopy ideal for shade. Groups of tiny green acorns are produced on female trees in spring. Hardy and adaptable, the holly oak tolerates drought, coastal conditions, and clay soil. Its handsome looks and wildlife value make it a favored landscape tree.
Saw Palmetto
In the southeastern U.S., the saw palmetto provides textural interest with its clumping, fan-shaped fronds. This small palm stays under 10 feet tall, spreading slowly via rhizomes to form a compact groundcover. Its stubby trunk is hidden by leaves.
In late summer, the saw palmetto produces green fruits relished by wildlife. Native Americans used saw palmetto fronds for thatch and wove the stems into baskets. Today it lends a tropical look to landscapes, gardens, and pool areas. The saw palmetto flourishes in warm, humid climates, providing habitat beneath its shade.
Emerald Arborvitae
With its slender, vertical form and dense foliage, the aptly named emerald arborvitae brings evergreen structure to landscapes. This versatile conifer also serves well for screens and hedges. Its flattened sprays of scale-like leaves maintain a bright green color throughout winter.
While the species can reach 60 feet tall, the ‘Emerald’ cultivar tops out around 15 feet, making it ideal for smaller sites. Tiny green cones appear on mature plants but are not ornamentally significant. Simple care, decorative looks, and hardiness make this a go-to evergreen for gardens and yards.
Exploring Nature’s Wonders
Part of the intrigue of trees lies in their variations and surprises, like the presence of ornamental spheres. Evergreen types allow us to appreciate these unique botanical features year-round. By learning about trees that produce decorative green balls, we gain insight into nature’s creativity and the ecology around us. Let’s get out and explore the green wonders our world has to offer!
A History of the Osage Orange
Maclura pomifera are exceptionally resilient. They’re resistant to rot, they aren’t susceptible to any serious threat from insects or disease, and their wood is both very strong and exceptionally pliable. All these unique traits have meant that these trees have been put to a number of practical uses throughout the years. As noted earlier, the Osage people took advantage of the sturdy, flexible wood to fashion bows. This practice was so common that the French named the tree after it. You will sometimes hear “bodark” as an alternative common name for these trees–“bodark” is a colloquialism derived from bois d’arc, the name given to the trees by the French. It translates to “bow wood.”
Osage orange trees have also been popularly used as fences or borders, contributing to another common name of theirs: the “hedge apple.” The rot, insect, and disease-resistant properties of the wood make it a great choice for building fences, but the trees can be planted close together and used as living hedges too. Before the advent of barbed wire, this was once quite popular–their thorny branches were an added bonus for deterring trespassers or animals from passing through. They were so efficient that they were once described by an Illinois College biology professor as “horse high, bull strong, and pig tight.” By the 1850s, Osage orange hedges were being used to fence entire farms.
Osage orange trees were once planted at the Garden as a hedge row.
The trees’ distinct green fruit is also rumored to be useful. It is often heralded as a natural insect repellent and is sometimes placed in or around the home to keep away spiders. Studies have shown that a highly concentrated extract from the fruit is effective for repelling insects; however, a regular fruit does not contain a comparable concentration and thus would be ineffective in keeping away spiders.
Humans aren’t the only ones who have made use of the tree. It is thought that the fruit was once a food source for some animals. This is a mutually beneficial relationship for both animal and plant–an animal eats the fruit, wanders onward as it digests the flesh, and then passes the seeds, thus depositing them in a pile of natural fertilizer far away from the tree that bore the fruit. This way, any potential seedlings don’t have to compete with the parent tree. While squirrels do occasionally move the fruits short distances when they harvest the seeds, recent research suggests they are not typically dispersing the seeds. So now Osage oranges usually just lie there until they rot or are kicked around by visitors to a park. This has led some to believe that the fruits’ original consumers are now extinct–it is likely that the fruit was once eaten by megafauna like wooly mammoths or ground sloths. Even without their animal counterparts to disperse the fruit, the Osage orange trees endure, now a living relic of ancient times.
Osage Orange Trees at the Garden
The Osage orange is native to river valleys and rich bottomlands in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, but it has been widely planted in a variety of environments throughout the United States and has naturalized in many areas. It is believed, based on correspondence between Meriwether Lewis and President Thomas Jefferson, that Pierre Chouteau was the first to introduce the tree to St. Louis in the 1790s.
Today, they remain a relatively common sight around the city, and the Garden has a few of its own. Shaw planted Osage orange trees in the 1860s to line the carriage trail leading to his country home, Tower Grove House. Some of those trees or their offspring still stand near the Climatron® conservatory and within the Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden. Netting has been installed in the Children’s Garden to prevent the large fruits from falling on children at play while still preserving these historic trees. Although much of the original route is gone, with imagination you can trace the trail followed by Shaw and his guests.More about the Osage orange trees in the Children’s Garden. Shot and edited by Cassidy Moody.
Low Maintenance Evergreen Shrubs to Grow Around Your Home!
FAQ
What are the green balls on my evergreen tree?
These green balls are usually galls or mosses, often mistaken for fruit or a peculiar growth. Galls are abnormal growths that trees produce in response to insects or mites. Conversely, Moss is a non-parasitic plant that finds a home on tree branches, giving them a green, velvety coat.
What kind of tree has little green balls?
Several trees produce little green balls, often actually fruits or galls. Black walnut trees have green husks surrounding the walnuts, while sweetgum trees produce spiky green gumballs. Oak trees can have green galls, which are plant growths caused by insects.
What kind of tree drops large green balls?
Fall means the pop and splat of acorns, walnuts, and persimmons hitting the ground, and among them you might come across a cluster of those bright green, softball-sized brain-balls: the Osage oranges.
What are these green balls on my tree?
Galls are abnormal growths that occur on leaves, twigs, roots, or flowers of many plants. Most galls are caused by irritation and/or stimulation of plant cells due to feeding or egg-laying by insects such as aphids, midges, wasps, or mites.
What trees have green balls?
Another tree with green balls is the cucumber tree (Magnolia acuminata), which is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8. Green-yellow blooms give way to green, cucumber-shaped fruits, advises Missouri Botanical Garden. These fruits have a wart-like texture and turn red and disperse red seeds when they mature.
What does a green ball on a tree look like?
A tree with green balls makes green growths that look like spheres, but the trees are not all the same. Each tree has its own set of unique characteristics that make it stand out. What kind of tree has green balls on it? Osage orange trees are most recognized by their fruit, which is a large, hard, green ball that can weigh over a pound.
Are trees with green balls monolithic?
While trees with green balls share the common feature of producing spherical green growths, they are far from monolithic. Each tree has its own set of unique characteristics that make it stand out. Some trees, like the Walnut Tree, have green balls that eventually turn black as they mature.
What does a green ball tree mean?
Its bright-green balls and unique form have made it a sign of strength, deep roots, courage, and resilience in many places where it grows naturally. The fruits of this tree are small, green balls with a waxy texture that mature in late fall.
What is a green ball on an orange tree?
Osage orange trees are most recognized by their fruit, which is a large, hard, green ball that can weigh over a pound. Inside, there are several seeds. If the fruit is damaged or cut, a milky substance will ooze out. What are green balls on pine trees?
Do trees produce green balls?
While most trees produce green balls that hang from their branches, some trees like the Oak Tree have green balls that actually grow on the leaves. These are commonly known as leaf galls and are usually caused by insects laying eggs on the leaves. Though they may look peculiar, leaf galls are generally harmless. What Tree Produces Green Balls?