The Ginkgo biloba is the world’s oldest living tree, a species whose existence can be traced back-over 250 million years and, for this reason, was referred to as living fossil by Charles Darwin.
The ginkgo can be found in the fossil record in many parts of the world; it disappeared from North America about 7 million years ago, and from Europe about 3 million years ago. The last survivors took refuge in the south-east of China.
The ginkgo was thought to have become extinct globally, but Engelbert Kaempfer, a 17th century German botanist living in Japan, discovered the tree in a Buddhist monastery and categorized it as Ginkgo biloba.
Englebert took cuttings back to Germany and cultivated them there in 1730. In 1762 a ginkgo was cultivated in London, making its way to France in 1778 and the US in 1782. All ginkgo trees that we find in garden centres are descended from those trees.
Interestingly (to me) is that it was a favourite tree of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, a mentor to Fred Hollingswotrth, the architect who designed our home back in 1951, and it was through Lloyd Wright’s efforts that it apparently made its way into city landscapes across North America.
I planted a ginkgo at our previous home, and it was growing like a weed when we moved.
The ginkgo we have now is a dwarf variety…we don’t need another future 80’+ tree 🙂
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