35 Ginkgo GINKGOACEAE: GINKGO FAMILY is family includes a single species, which now survives in the wild in only a small area in sw. China. Ginkgo is a common ornamental in North America. Trees are dioecious. GINKGO Ginkgo biloba L. a.k.a. Maidenhair Tree QUICK ID e Ginkgo’s fan-shaped leaves are unlike those of any other tree. e woody pegs covering the branches identify it in the winter. Deciduous tree, usually with a single straight trunk, up to 30 m tall and 100 cm diam.; crown rounded or irregular. BARK Gray, with short, irregular fur- rows. TWIG Gray, bearing stubby, woody short shoots protruding up to 1 cm from the branch at regular intervals, each bearing a cluster of leaves and oﬅen a pollen cone or seed. LEAF Slightly leathery, fan-shaped, with a pattern of radiating veins (not seen in any other tree). Blade 5–10 cm broad, light green, turning golden and falling each winter. POLLEN CONE Borne on short shoots, cat- kin-like. SEED Naked, usually only 1, developing from a pair of ovules situated at the tip of a slender stalk borne on short shoots, appearing plum-like, almond-shaped, yellow to orange, about 2.5 cm long, the outer coating soﬅening and giving off a foul odor when ripe. HABITAT/RANGE Introduced; native to China. A common ornamental in temperate climates; there are unconfirmed reports of naturalization in the ne. U.S. Notes: Millions of years ago members of the ginkgo family were common around the world, but they now occur in the wild in only a small area in sw. China. e name, meaning “silver seed,” is from Chinese. Various tissues of the plant are toxic or are used medicinally, primarily in naturopathic and Chinese traditional medicine. Apart from being attractive landscape trees in general, Ginkgos are very resistant to air pollution and are commonly planted in cities. Female plants are undesirable, due to the unpleasant odor given off by the ripe seeds. e oldest and one of the largest Ginkgos in North America was planted in 1789 and can be seen at Longwood Gardens in Pa.; its trunk exceeds 4 m in girth. seed autumn leaf GINKGOACEAE: GINKGO FAMILY © Copyright, Princeton University Press. No part of this book may be distributed, posted, or reproduced in any form by digital or mechanical means without prior written permission of the publisher.

GinkGoAceAe: GinkGo FAmilyassets.press.princeton.edu/chapters/s10217.pdf · Ginkgo GinkGoAceAe: GinkGo FAmily Th is family includes a single species, which now survives in the wild

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Ginkgo

GinkGoAceAe: GinkGo FAmilyTh is family includes a single species, which now survives in the wild in only a small area in sw. China. Ginkgo is a common ornamental in North America. Trees are dioecious.

GinkGo Ginkgo biloba L.a.k.a. Maidenhair Tree

QuiCk id Th e Ginkgo’s fan-shaped leaves are unlike those of any other tree. Th e woody pegs covering the branches identify it in the winter.

Deciduous tree, usually with a single straight trunk, up to 30 m tall and 100 cm diam.; crown rounded or irregular. bArk Gray, with short, irregular fur-rows. twiG Gray, bearing stubby, woody short shoots protruding up to 1 cm from the branch at regular intervals, each bearing a cluster of leaves and oft en a pollen cone or seed. leAF Slightly leathery, fan-shaped, with a pattern of radiating veins (not seen in any other tree). Blade 5–10 cm broad, light green, turning golden and falling each winter. pollen cone Borne on short shoots, cat-kin-like. seed Naked, usually only 1, developing from a pair of ovules situated at the tip of a slender stalk borne on short shoots, appearing plum-like, almond-shaped, yellow to orange, about 2.5 cm long, the outer coating soft ening and giving off a foul odor when ripe.

HAbitAt/rAnGe Introduced; native to China. A common ornamental in temperate climates; there are unconfi rmed reports of naturalization in the ne. U.S.

Notes: Millions of years ago members of the ginkgo family were common around the world, but they now occur in the wild in only a small area in sw. China. Th e name, meaning “silver seed,” is from Chinese. Various tissues of the plant are toxic or are used medicinally, primarily in naturopathic and Chinese traditional medicine. Apart from being attractive landscape trees in general, Ginkgos are very resistant to air pollution and are commonly planted in cities. Female plants are undesirable, due to the unpleasant odor given off by the ripe seeds. Th e oldest and one of the largest Ginkgos in North America was planted in 1789 and can be seen at Longwood Gardens in Pa.; its trunk exceeds 4 m in girth.

seed

autumn leaf

GinKGOACeAe: GinKGO FAmily

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