Does anyone grow CHe?  If so, what can you tell me about it?  Do you hve any pictures?  How often does it friut?  EL's says it taste like a cross between watermelon and figs.  That peeked my interest and would love to try them if they are sweet and taste like figs.  thanks,

I had two trees years ago in Connecticut and they were called Chinese Melon berry, a male and a female. I tasted the fruit and cannot remember how it tasted.
All I can say is that I never forget the taste of a good fig, but I forgot how this fruit tasted. Again I was always traveling and busy so I did not pay attention perhaps.Sorry Dennis.
The way I see it is that if it was special I would not forget it. On the other hand, I love a good white Mulberry.
I think that the male had lots of thorns  Edible Landscaping has it so you do not need a male and a female tree and they are grafted. It's self pollinating..
Perhaps what they have is much better than what I had. I believe that the nursery I bought mine from went out of business . They used to sell all kinds of exotic fruit trees.
I read recently that it's good to make jam similar to fig Jam. I know it can tolerate more cold than figs since I had it in Connecticut.

Yes. See HERE

talking about which, i need to order a mulberry tree.. 

It was Fruit of the Month at the San Diego Rare Fruit Growers last month:

http://crfgsandiego.org/FruitOfTheMonth/FRUIT+OF+THE+MONTH+Che.docx

I am not crazy about the flavor of che. It tastes like a mulberry crossed with maybe medicine to me. It is a mulberry with a tad off an offlavor to me, not a great tart balance either mainly the sweet tones of mulberry. I think sometims they taste I'd say good at best. It's like 3 or 4 mulberries fused together to make a brain looking thing. 

Speaking of stuff I don't like--I finally tasted black walnuts today. Worse than che for sure. Maybe black walnuts can be used inbaking but fresh the offsmell is so strong what the heck. I will stick with the Persian/English/Carpathian Walnut :). 

Now PAWPAW that is a TASTY "different" type of fruit also native to here. 

Im probably being harsh on che, but I wouldnt* want that big ol tree in my limited space. Its not that bad and some of them depending on ripeness etc. are good. But... I couldnt eat more than a couple. Mulberries I could eat bowls and bowls. Pawpaws too.

Sorry, previous link was botched:

http://crfgsandiego.org/FruitOfTheMonth/FRUIT%20OF%20THE%20MONTH%20Che.docx

Yes , che is under rated and very delicious. I just got one a couple weeks ago. They are better than mulberries in my opinion. Maybe those who didn't care for them had the BTversion. The great thing is they can take the cold and the heat.

I have 3 pre-fruiting plants that I grafted to Osage Orange. Well 2.5 now one was used as a rub by a young buck this fall. Many folks report frustration with them dropping all their fruit for several years, and seems you really want them to really ripen well as are reported bland if eaten when first coloring up. If some wants to try grafting one I would likely have a few scion this winter if you have Osage Orange to graft to. I failed dormant rooting them even though they did callus up. I am not sure about summer green rooting.

I saw a CHE tree in my friend`s home.

If I remember correctly, Oregon Exotics was the nursery from which I purchased my Che trees from about 15 years ago!  I don't see them listing any plants for sale now. 

Got mine from EL. It will drop fruit for a couple years then start producing. Mine is in a pot and I did get fruit after about 3 years.

How long did it take between seed and graft on the Osage Orange? Does anyone know if there is more than one kind of Che?

SAS,

I did not grow the Osage Orange from seed. Some areas of the mid-west and plains states are covered with Osage Orange trees also called Hedge apples, Maclura pomifera. Most of those hedges in farm country that were planted after the dust  bowl every 1/4 mile or so are Osage Orange. Lots of the hedges been pulled out but the trees have seeded all about and in areas  a pest tree. I dug up some young trees when I was in Kansas. Supposedly Che when grafted on O.O. don't sucker as much and form more of a tree than bush.

There are a few named ones like Darrow, not sure if they are much different. Many folks think all the females after a period of years will hold the fruit as seedless. The Edible Landscape Seedless. might not be anything different. Hidden Springs sells both Male and Female very reasonable I believe for $12. I think The males sometimes produce some female flowers. Or maybe the seedless are the male trees? Not sure we discussed in a post last year. http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/che-not-totally-off-topic-but-close-6158334?highlight=osage

Thank You for posting. I saw some Osage Orange trees here in Texas close to my home on a main road and they dropped those green balls of fruit. I collected few off the ground, then threw them away as they were green and I had no idea what to do with them. I tasted the seeds, they were nothing special but too much work to carve them out and messy.

I just want to add that I think that Che trees are really beautiful trees. I don't think that they have any pest or disease problems and are really very pretty.

The che I have is ion it's own rootstock. Where do you get Osage orange rootstock. Is that the only thing you can graft too. Anyone try it on something else? Can trade cuttings for rootstock.

Here's a link to a recent photo I took of the Che fruit from my garden.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=674783245895532&set=a.110399449000584.5245.110193909021138&type=1&theater