Wandering the Pet Paddock at Struan Farm I've discovered that one of our large ginkgo trees is female. I found what apparently are unripe fruit and little seeds beneath it, which have prompted some research.
Ginkgo biloba trees are thought to have originated in China and are so ancient they are referred to as "living fossils." The fruit, when ripe, has a foul odor (these are clearly not yet ripe) but it yields a nut that is quite nutritious. Ginkgo nuts contain potassium, phosphorus, folate and vitamin A, with traces of zinc and copper. The nuts (and supplements made from the leaves) can be used to treat a variety of ailments on an alternative medicinal basis, including circulatory complaints and memory loss. In traditional Chinese medicine they are used to relieve hangovers, coughs and asthma.
And, like our yew, this is another tree considered sacred in certain cultures. They are often planted near temples and sacred grounds.
The trees can be grown from seed and/or cuttings, so I'm going to try that. We'll also experiment with roasting the nuts once the fruit is ripe (provided I can handle the smell). Apparently after cooking the nut is bright green and similar to edamame, so we shall see...
I didn't know this about the Gingko Biloba fruit. Very interesting.
Posted by: Marilyn | 02/09/2012 at 08:58 PM