Eric
09-19-2009, 08:21 PM
Just a few notes & hoping to attract (& learn more from) other Ginkgo Biloba Tree enthusiasts :).
I planted my 2-3" Ginkgo seedling April 24, 2006. This is how it looks today, September 19, 2009:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=23380&size=1
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=23381&size=1
About Ginkgo Biloba trees (aka Maidenhair trees) & why I'm so enthused:
The only known-&-current "wild" location of this species is in the Tian Mu Shan reserve in Zhejiang province in eastern China. There is, however, an over 3,000 year old living specimen in Shandong Province, China.
Kingdom Plantae, Division Ginkgophyta, Class Ginkgoopsida, Order Ginkgoales, Family Ginkgoaceae, Genus Ginkgo, & Species Ginkgo Biloba.
The tree fossils date back 199.6 million years ago (mya) & the leaf fossils date back 270 mya. The first fossils appear in the early Jurassic period. It is a Very unique species having no close living relatives. The leaf's vein structure is very simple & primitive so the tree loses water quickly & must be watered regularly.
The name was derived from the Chinese word for "silver apricot", Ginkyo. Apart from human cultivation, it has been considered endangered for centuries. It prefers a deep, sandy loam but is adaptable to even hard, clay type soils. It is immune to the effects of radioactivity, as well. In 1945 Hiroshima Japan, 1.5 Km from the center of ground zero, numerous specimens survived the blast & are still alive, healthy, & growing to this day.
It is also immune to all known plant viral & bacteria infections, insects, sulfur dioxide pollutants, ozone, & snow and ice storms. Ideal growing climates are temperate to sub-tropical.
Initial transplant shock is very long-term. Mine appeared yellow, sickly, & wilted for over a month before any green began to return to the leaves. When planting, keep the trunk clear of weeds & do not use mulch cause respiration occurs around the trunk. In the winter of 2007/2008, mine sat encased in 1/4"-1/2" ice for about a week and actually showed accelerated growth the following spring & summer! Apparently, mulching does not hurt it during the cold months.
For the first 10-12 years, growth is irratic. Under identical conditions, it may grow as much as 30 cm (1 foot) during one summer & show no growth at all the next (identical) summer, despite identical care & conditions. Once it has reached 20 feet in height, it is no longer considered an adolescent tree. At that point, it begins to develop a rounded top. The final dimensions are 66-115 feet tall with a 25 foot wide trunk. There are, however, specimens in China over 164 feet tall! While still adolescent, it can exhibit angular growth & may need to be staked to straighten the trunk. Also, any pruning should be done only in early spring.
The Ginkgo is dioecious (male/female). The yellow fruits, of the female tree, are abundant & can get quite smelly after they've been on the ground a while. However, the nuts in the seeds are considered a delicacy in Chinese cuisine & are highly prized. They are used in numerous recipes but must, like saffron, be used sparingly. MPN levels in the seeds can be poisonous for children if more than 5 seed nuts, per day, are consumed over a long period. Also, for some people, contact with the seeds can cause allergic reactions similar to poison ivy. But the seeds are also considered to have medicinal effects & are also considered an aphrodisiac.
I started my 2-3" seedling 3 years 5 months ago. It's now (the woody part) 30.5 inches tall with a 1/2" thick trunk! Since it is immune to just about everything known to mankind (except lack of water), it will very likely live thousands of years after I'm gone!
It's one of the oldest known trees on Earth & one of the most resistant. That's why I'm so enthused & would like to see others enthused, as well, for the sake of it's survival as a (very unique) species!
I planted my 2-3" Ginkgo seedling April 24, 2006. This is how it looks today, September 19, 2009:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=23380&size=1
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=23381&size=1
About Ginkgo Biloba trees (aka Maidenhair trees) & why I'm so enthused:
The only known-&-current "wild" location of this species is in the Tian Mu Shan reserve in Zhejiang province in eastern China. There is, however, an over 3,000 year old living specimen in Shandong Province, China.
Kingdom Plantae, Division Ginkgophyta, Class Ginkgoopsida, Order Ginkgoales, Family Ginkgoaceae, Genus Ginkgo, & Species Ginkgo Biloba.
The tree fossils date back 199.6 million years ago (mya) & the leaf fossils date back 270 mya. The first fossils appear in the early Jurassic period. It is a Very unique species having no close living relatives. The leaf's vein structure is very simple & primitive so the tree loses water quickly & must be watered regularly.
The name was derived from the Chinese word for "silver apricot", Ginkyo. Apart from human cultivation, it has been considered endangered for centuries. It prefers a deep, sandy loam but is adaptable to even hard, clay type soils. It is immune to the effects of radioactivity, as well. In 1945 Hiroshima Japan, 1.5 Km from the center of ground zero, numerous specimens survived the blast & are still alive, healthy, & growing to this day.
It is also immune to all known plant viral & bacteria infections, insects, sulfur dioxide pollutants, ozone, & snow and ice storms. Ideal growing climates are temperate to sub-tropical.
Initial transplant shock is very long-term. Mine appeared yellow, sickly, & wilted for over a month before any green began to return to the leaves. When planting, keep the trunk clear of weeds & do not use mulch cause respiration occurs around the trunk. In the winter of 2007/2008, mine sat encased in 1/4"-1/2" ice for about a week and actually showed accelerated growth the following spring & summer! Apparently, mulching does not hurt it during the cold months.
For the first 10-12 years, growth is irratic. Under identical conditions, it may grow as much as 30 cm (1 foot) during one summer & show no growth at all the next (identical) summer, despite identical care & conditions. Once it has reached 20 feet in height, it is no longer considered an adolescent tree. At that point, it begins to develop a rounded top. The final dimensions are 66-115 feet tall with a 25 foot wide trunk. There are, however, specimens in China over 164 feet tall! While still adolescent, it can exhibit angular growth & may need to be staked to straighten the trunk. Also, any pruning should be done only in early spring.
The Ginkgo is dioecious (male/female). The yellow fruits, of the female tree, are abundant & can get quite smelly after they've been on the ground a while. However, the nuts in the seeds are considered a delicacy in Chinese cuisine & are highly prized. They are used in numerous recipes but must, like saffron, be used sparingly. MPN levels in the seeds can be poisonous for children if more than 5 seed nuts, per day, are consumed over a long period. Also, for some people, contact with the seeds can cause allergic reactions similar to poison ivy. But the seeds are also considered to have medicinal effects & are also considered an aphrodisiac.
I started my 2-3" seedling 3 years 5 months ago. It's now (the woody part) 30.5 inches tall with a 1/2" thick trunk! Since it is immune to just about everything known to mankind (except lack of water), it will very likely live thousands of years after I'm gone!
It's one of the oldest known trees on Earth & one of the most resistant. That's why I'm so enthused & would like to see others enthused, as well, for the sake of it's survival as a (very unique) species!