Ginkgoes have been around for hundreds of millennia! These trees connect back to relatives that lived over 200 million years ago, proven through comprehensive fossil records. The Ginkgo is best identified by its iconic leaf shape - triangular, with a scalloped edge, and a long, slender stem. This leaf shape is unique to this tree, and is not easily confused with any other species. While these trees start with sparse foliage, as they age, the canopy becomes lush and dense. Depending on the age of Ginkgo, its overall shape may look vastly different.
Foliage
These leaves are distinct to the Ginkgo tree, identifiable almost immediately by their shape. Note the scalloped edge! These leaves turn yellow in the fall, and drop before winter sets in.
Seeds or Cones
These trees produce small, hard seeds, which form through wind pollination
All illustrations by A.S. Longman
Did you know?
This tree survived the Permian mass extinction, or great dying, which wiped out 57% of all known biological families.
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