Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo, "Icho")

Japanese name: イチョウ （銀杏、公孫樹、鴨脚樹）
Scientific name: Ginkgo biloba

[Overview]
A deciduous tree that can reach 30 m in height. It is a gymnosperm and dioecious.
Old trees produce aerial roots that hang down like stalactites.
The leaves are fan-shaped, 10 cm long; on long shoots they are alternate and deeply split in two at the tip, while on short shoots they grow in clusters of 5–6 and are irregularly and shallowly lobed or almost unlobed. They turn a beautiful yellow in autumn.
It flowers in April–May. The male flowers grow in clusters on short shoots and consist only of many stamens arranged in a spiral. The female flowers also grow in clusters on short shoots and consist of two ovules borne at the tip of a long stalk.

[History]
Fossils of this group have been found from the Jurassic to the Tertiary, but the only living species is the ginkgo (Icho), which is called a "living fossil."
In Japan it is said to have been cultivated by the Muromachi period, but the time of its introduction is not known.

[Uses]
Female trees bear the so-called ginnan (ginkgo nuts), which are eaten after the fleshy, strong-smelling outer seed coat is removed.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, cuttings, or grafting.
The roots grow straight and deep, so it prefers land with deep soil layers and good drainage.
It is vigorous and tolerates air pollution, has almost no pests or diseases, and is resistant to salt and cold.
The bark is thick, so it is also fire-resistant.
It sprouts vigorously and tolerates pruning.
Transplanting is also easy, but for several years after transplanting the branches and roots grow more slowly.

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