| Issue #33, November 10, 2006 |
The Garden At Rock Cottage by Lance Brilliantine
I sometimes wonder what the world must have been like 65 million years ago in the time of the dinosaurs. While no doubt treacherous – I would not relish being dinner for a T-Rex or other enormous critters – the plants must have been spectacular in that newer, more fertile world. I imagine a lush, green world with plants of enormous size that are competitive and self-sufficient.
There exists an example of what plants were like then. Ginkgo biloba, also called Maidenhair Tree, is among a group of plants classified as gymnosperms. Conifers are also in the classification.
The Gingko is a member of group of Gymnosperms that flourished 65 million years ago. It is said that the tree can have a lifespan as long as 1,000 years (I wouldn’t know). The Ginkgo biloba is the only remaining example within its family of plants, Ginkgoaceae. It is the only living gymnosperm (including pines, firs, and spruces) that sheds its leaves in the fall.
Ginkgo trees are indigenous to China, Japan, and Korea, where they still exist in some remote mountainous regions. Almost none of these trees exist in the wild today, with most being a result of specific cultivation whereby male trees are grafted onto rootstock.
Gymnosperms (meaning “naked seeds”) are plants that produce seeds without fruit around them. Usually, the seeds are protected by a cone or some minimal outside seed coat. Most gymnosperms have both male and female cones, and both sexes appear on the same plant. The Ginkgo tree is the only plant in the classification where male and female cones are found on separate plants.
Seeds of the female plant are fleshy and resemble small tan-yellow plums. Unfortunately, in the case of the Ginkgo, the seed coat decomposes rapidly at maturity and produces both butyric acid (that smells like rancid butter), and caproic acid (that smells like dirty gym socks).
These odors must have attracted some sort of foraging animal 65 million years ago that dispersed the seeds. Today, the odors are considered offensive, and are the reason most of the Ginkgo’s seen in urban settings are male trees. (Personally, I don’t have a problem with the smell and find the effect of a multitude of tan-yellow seed pods appealing in fall.)
The Ginkgo tree also produces wonderful fan-shaped, lime-green leaves that shimmer in the slightest wind. The trees turn a wonderful golden-yellow or chartreuse color in fall, and grow into upright ovals to upright spreading trees that can be 100 feet tall or more, though in urban settings the trees reach heights of about 60 feet. Trunks may reach three or four feet in diameter and are deeply furrowed. Young trees are sparsely branched and quite picturesque.
Ginkgos are an excellent choice for the East End, as the tree prefers moist, deep, sandy soil and full sun. It is very adaptable to stressful situations, that may include poor soils, compacted soils, various soil pHs, heat, drought, and winter salt spray. The tree is virtually free of diseases and pest problems and is extremely resilient – hence its use along roadways and city streets.
November is an excellent time to plant a Ginkgo tree. Nurseries often have left-over Ginkgos at this time of year. (Look for leftover plants that are container grown as opposed to burlapped.) Dig a hole that is about twice as deep and wide as the container, and amend the soil with compost and peat. Plant the tree at the same level as it was growing in the container. Water heavily and mulch well. Then, keep the plant well watered throughout the course of winter to spark root growth in early spring.
In the Unites States, the leaves and seeds of Ginkgo biloba are used as an herbal supplement. Health food stores often carry Ginkgo biloba as a memory-booster or “longevity” pill. The medicinal components of the Ginkgo are the dried leaves, the seeds separated from their fleshy outer layer, and the fresh leaves. The seeds are frequently eaten throughout Asia and can sometimes be purchased in cans in specialty stores, or dried as “white nuts.”
This wonderful tree deserves our attention and cultivation. It is also worthy of a place in the landscape, to add interest and appeal, or as a stand-alone specimen. When shopping this fall and next spring, keep an eye out for this great addition to the landscape. Who knows, the tree may just attract attention on a “dinosauric” scale!
You can contact Lance Brilliantine with any questions or comments at GardenLance@yahoo.com.
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