Scientific Name
Ginkgo biloba
Sometimes also called the maidenhair tree, almost everything about the ginkgo tree is unique. More like a conifer than a flowering tree, the ginkgo has few living plant relatives other than cycads and represents an early stage in the evolution of woody plants. At one time in the geological record, it was a widespread tree on all the northern continents, but it gradually declined until in modern times it was only found near temples in Asia. Had it not been for the tradition of monks cultivating it, it’s possible it might have gone extinct centuries ago. Whether native populations of ginkgo trees still exist remains controversial, but the most likely area for any to be found would be southwest China. Ginkgo is often termed a “living fossil” because it evolved so long ago, and the leaf shape of modern trees varies so little from fossils dating back over 200 million years.
Ginkgo trees grow slowly in our area to heights around 60 feet (which is the tallest of the four currently listed as Colorado champion trees) but are capable of reaching 100 feet or greater in more favorable climates. Ginkgos are extremely long-lived, and some have been documented at more than 1,500 years of age. They’re very adaptable to different sites and climate conditions and experience hardly any disease or pest problems. The ginkgo leaf, somewhat resembling a duck footprint, is like no other; many of the leaves have a deep notch dividing them in two (hence the name biloba), and the veins in the leaf are nearly parallel, fanning out from the leaf base. In the fall, the leaves usually turn a striking bright yellow, and all may fall within a very short window of time. The foliage occurs on the new season’s lengthening twigs, as with most trees, but also on knobby lateral “spur shoots” that stand out in winter and can be helpful in identifying the tree.
Ginkgo trees are either male or female. The fruit produced by the female ginkgo is frequently considered objectionable because the fleshy outer layer, when ripe, emits a strong rancid odor. The inner seed, however, is a delicacy in many Asian cuisines and is often quickly harvested from the female trees. Even so, in the U.S., efforts are made to only plant male ginkgos, which are produced by grafting cuttings from known male trees onto seedlings of indeterminate sex. The ginkgo fruit and foliage have long been used medicinally, with many alleged benefits that have often been disputed.
The ginkgo was first brought from Asia to Europe in the early 18th century and 100 years later was brought to North America; it immediately became a sensation and a favorite landscape ornamental on both continents. Since that time, a large number of ginkgo cultivars have been developed that differ in terms of growth habit. As a historic testament to the ginkgo tree’s toughness, there were six located near the epicenter of the atomic blast that devastated the Japanese city of Hiroshima, some less than a mile distant, and though charred, they all soon recovered and are healthy today.