Maidenhair Tree

Maidenhair Tree, commonly called Ginkgo, is a deciduous conifer that matures to 100 feet tall. It is the only surviving member of a group of ancient plants believed to have inhabited the earth up to 150 million years ago. The word ginkgo comes from the Chinese yinxing meaning ‘silver apricot’. It was named the maidenhair tree in England because the leaves look similar to the native maidenhair fern. It features distinctive two-lobed, somewhat leathery, fan-shaped, rich green leaves with diverging veins. Leaves turn a bright yellow in the fall. Ginkgo have separate male and female trees, but nurseries typically sell only male trees that are fruitless. Female trees produce seeds in fleshy, fruit-like coverings which mature in autumn, and are messy and emit a noxious, foul odor upon falling to the ground.