Tree Description:
Upright, irregular-shaped landscape tree with an angular branch structure.
Range/Site Description:
Performs best on well-drained soils in the eastern third of Texas.
Leaf:
Simple, alternate, 1" to 3" long and 2" to 4" wide, fan-shaped, light green and turning lemon-yellow in the fall.
Flower:
Inconspicuous, male and female flowers borne on separate trees (dioecious), arising from spur shoots along the branchlets.
Fruit:
An egg-shaped fruit, 0.75" to 1" long, yellowish, with a purplish bloom, develops on female trees; its foul-smelling flesh surrounds a nut-like seed.
Bark:
Tan-colored bark is mottled with dark lenticels, developing loose scales and ultimately deep fissures on old trunks.
Wood:
Tree is sold as a landscape specimen. Seeds processed into an herbal remedy for digestive problems and memory loss.
Similar Species:
None.
Interesting Facts:
An ancient species first cultivated in the eighth century, ginkgo fruit is prized in eastern cultures for its medicinal properties and food value.
