Ginkgo biloba  (Maidenhair Tree)

Welcome to the site completely dedicated to Ginkgo biloba!

Ginkgo biloba is an incredibly fascinating plant that has been around for centuries. It is the only species remaining from the Phylum Ginkgophyta and because of this many call it “the living fossil.” Some other common names for Ginkgo biloba are the Ginkgo tree, Kew tree, Fossil tree, and the most common is the Maidenhair tree. It got this name because it slightly resembles the Maidenhair Fern.

Ginkgo biloba can grow up to 120 feet tall and it can live to be about 1,000 years old! The Ginkgo tree is dioecious, which means that each plant is either male or female; both reproductive organs are not found on the same tree. In the fall, most people can recognize the female tree because of its stench. Some people say the rotting seeds smell like vomit, while others say they smell more like rancid butter. To avoid the revolting smell, many city officials plant only the male species of the tree.

There is good reason to why Ginkgo biloba is planted in almost every major city across the US. This is because the Ginkgo tree is resistant to so many different things, like insects, fungicides, most pollution, and bacteria! Ginkgo biloba also is found to be an extremely beneficial herb for medicinal purposes, such as prevention of cancer, increasing blood circulation, reducing cerebral insufficiency and glaucoma, and many more! Today, increasing amounts of research are being done on Ginkgo biloba in order to explore all the medicinal values in this magnificent organism. 

To understand where Ginkgo biloba falls in the grand scheme of organisms, go to FAMILY TREE!

If you get confused at any time with the vocabulary I am using throughout the website, feel free to check out the GLOSSARY!

Ginkgo biloba is only one of many, many creatures on the planet. My classmates and I are trying to create a website for each living organism. Please check out some of their amazing species at MultipleOrganisms.net!

 

Webpage created by: Brittany Lehrer
The University of Wisconsin- La Crosse
Last Updated on: April 16, 2011