"Ginkgo" .....also known as "Maidenhair Tree"
Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo family (Ginkgoaceae)
 | This tree is the sole surviving species of a family that only occurs naturally in China. It has been called a "living fossil" because it is so similar to the fossilized remains of this plant. At the time of the dinosaurs, however, Ginkgo plants were distributed throughout the earth. Believe it or not, this species is classified as a gymnosperm. |
| The leaf is fan-shaped and sometimes divided into two lobes (thus "biloba" is the species name). |
| Deciduous |
| Male and female "flowers"(doesn't have true flowers or fruit) occur on different plants (dioecious): pollen is released by male catkins and "fruit" are plum-like and smelly (which is why most trees used in the U.S. are males). Nut is edible if taken in small quantities and are sold in China and Japan. This is the world's oldest cultivated nut tree |
| Introduced to the U.S. in the 1780's from England. Used as a street tree as it is resistant to air pollution and pests |
| "Ginkyo" in Chinese means "silver apricot" which is what the female reproductive structure looks like |
Ginkgo Super Site....with lots of pics
Ginkgo Herbal- Time Article (no
Hear an audio clip of how to pronounce Ginkgo biloba