Gingko Trees -Living Fossils

 

(Photo: The Spruce Adrienne Legault)

Gingko Trees (Ginkgo biloba)

We are into leaf drop season big time. I posited that the geneticist that can figure out how to get a tree to drop all its leaves at once might make a fortune. Annie-Rae posted “Don't gingkos do that? Means the scientists have a chance to solve this puzzle!” Yes, to a certain extent.

1.    1. The leaves turn yellow in the fall, depending on the cultivar varying from chartreuse to gold.  The leaves will drop overnight after a hard frost, and all the leaves on entire tree drop almost all at once.

 2. Ginkgo is considered to be a “living fossil,” dating back to the Jurassic period. It was nearly extinct when Chinese Buddhist monks cultivated it in their mountain monasteries and preserved the species.  

3.      Ginkgo trees are long-lived with a life span of upwards of 1000 years.  The oldest specimen in China is believed to be 3500 years old.

 4. One of the most appealing features of ginkgo trees is the three-inch fan-shaped leaves. The appearance is similar to the maidenhair fern, giving rise to their common name, Maidenhair Tree. 

5.      Unfortunately, in late autumn, the dirty secret that female ginkgo trees hide is revealed. The “fruit” produced by female ginkgo trees is foul smelling (has been compared to rancid butter or animal excrement) and is dropped in the fall following the first frost. Though immature when dropped, the embryos within the fruit continue to mature on the ground for up to two months afterwards. This means that anyone unfortunate enough to step on the fruit during that time is exposed to its pungent odor.

 6.      Extreme caution should be used when selecting ginkgo trees for landscape ornamentals or for street trees since there is no way to discern a male from a female at the seedling stage. Several “Boys Only” cultivars have been developed such as ‘Autumn Gold’ or ‘Lakeview’ to ensure that you do not end up with a Ginkgo Stinky Seeds yard or street when the trees begin to fruit.

CKagan, Master Gardener

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Thanks to Carol Shirk, Extension Dodge County, University of Wisconsin, Madison (1-4) and Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources (5-6)

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