Ginkgo

Did you know

• Ginkgo is a living fossil; the species has remained essentially unchanged for over 200 million years.
• Six ginkgo trees survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945, standing less than a mile from ground zero.
• The fan-shaped leaves turn a spectacular uniform golden yellow in autumn, then drop all at once within just a few days.
• Female trees produce foul-smelling fruits containing butyric acid, so most cities plant only male trees.
• The name 'Salisbury' was an alternate genus name proposed by Richard Salisbury, though Linnaeus's 'Ginkgo' was retained.

Color meanings

Uses

• ornamental street tree
• herbal supplement
• traditional Chinese medicine
• culinary nuts (seeds)