Ginkgo
Scientific Name: Ginkgo L.
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| General Information | |
|---|---|
| Usda Symbol | GINKG |
| Group | Gymnosperm |
| Life Cycle | Perennial |
| Growth Habits | Tree |
| Native Locations | GINKG |
Plant Guide
Alternative Names
Ginkgo biloba L., maidenhair tree
Uses
NOTE: Ingesting seeds may be toxic. Commercial use: The Ginkgo wood is of little value due to its scarcity. It is lightweight, brittle, yellow and in China and Japan, is used for chess sets, chopping blocks and firewood. The leaves are harvested for uses as a blood thinner and to treat circulatory illnesses. Medical use: The extract from the Ginkgo leaves contains flavonoid glycosides, and ginkgolides. The extract is said to be a memory enhancer, and anti-vertigo agent. There are three effects on the human body: (1) it improves blood flow (including microcirculation in small capillaries) to most tissues and organs; (2) it protects against oxidative cell damage from free radicals (antioxidant); and (3) it blocks many of the effects of PAF (platelet aggregation, blood clotting) that have been related to the development of a number of cardiovascular, renal, respiratory and CNS (Central Nervous System) disorders. Ginkgo is also added in small amounts to energy drinks, but it does not produce a noticeable effect, except as a placebo, or marketing tool from Ginkgo being listed on the label. Side Effects: There are some undesirable effects of Ginkgo for individuals with blood circulation disorders, and those taking anti-coagulants (i.e., aspirin, warfarin). Recent studies have found that ginkgo has little or no effect on the anticoagulant properties or pharmacodynamics of warfarin. Ginkgo should not be used by people who are taking the anti-depressant drugs, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) or by pregnant women. Ginkgo side effects include possible increased risk of bleeding, gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, dizziness, and restlessness. If any side effects are experienced, stop immediately taking Ginkgo supplements and consult your doctor. Culinary use: The Ginkgo nut-like gametophytes inside the seeds are a traditional Chinese food often served at weddings. They are believed to have health benefits or have aphrodisiac qualities. Japanese cooks add Ginkgo seeds to dishes such as chawammushi, and cooked seeds are often eaten along with other dishes.. When eaten by children, in large quantities over a long period of time, the raw gametophyte (meat) of the seed can cause poisoning by MPN (4-methoxypyridoxine), which is heat-stable. Studies have demonstrated that convulsions caused by MPN can be prevented or terminated with pyridoxine. Some people are sensitive to the chemicals in the sarcotesta, the outer fleshy coating. These people should handle the seeds with care by wearing disposable gloves when preparing the seeds for consumption. The symptoms are dermatitis or blisters similar to that caused by contact with poison ivy. Seeds with the fleshy coating removed are perfectly safe to handle.
Status
Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status (e.g. threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).
Description
General: The Ginkgo is a medium to large tree that reaches 20–35m tall, although some specimens in
Adaptation
Ginkgo is a slow-grower adaptable, hardy tree for use as a specimen or grown in groups for commercial production. It transplants well, establishes easily and is often planted in parks, arboreta and botanical gardens as a point of interest. Male cultivars are preferable, as not only is the odor of the fallen seeds unpleasant, but the abundant crops can also be very messy. Cultivars include 'Fastigiata,' a male form with an upright, columnar habit; 'Fairmont,' a narrow, pyramidal male form; and 'Shangri-la,' a fast-growing form with a compact crown and good fall color.
Establishment
Ginkgos are dioecious with separate female and male sexes. Male plants produce small pollen cones with sporophylls, each bearing two microsporangia spirally arranged around a central axis. Female plants do not produce cones. Two ovules are formed at the end of a stalk, and after pollination, one or both develop into seeds. The seed is 1.5-2 cm long. Its outer layer, the sarcotesta is light yellow-brown, soft, and fruit-like. It is plum like and attractive, but the seedcoat contains butanoic acid, and smells like rancid butter when fallen on the ground. Beneath the sarcotesta is the hard sclerotesta, and a papery endotesta and nucellus. The fertilization of ginkgo seeds is unusual in that it utilizes motile sperm; cycads are the only other seed plants with this feature. It was first discovered by the Japanese botanist Sakugoro Hirase in the early 1900s. When the pollen reaches the pollen chamber, two sperm are produced, one of which goes on to fertilize the ovule. The fertilization of ginkgo seeds is complete by the time they fall in autumn.
Pests and Potential Problems
The Ginkgo is disease resistance, insect-resistant wood and has the ability to form aerial roots and sprouts, This means the Ginkgo lives long, with some specimens claimed to be more than 2,500 years old; a 3,000 year-old, Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin) Ginkgos were once native throughout the Northern Hemisphere, but were rendered extinct in North America and Europe during the Pleistocene Ice Age,
Conservation
Service (formerly Soil Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone book under ”United States Government.” The Natural Resources Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading “Department of Agriculture.”
References
Bartram, T. 1995 Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, Grace Publishers, Bournemouth. Blumenthal M, Goldberg A, Brinckman J, Eds. Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs. Newton, MA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2000:359-366 pp. Bremness, L. 1994. Herbs, Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Handbook, London. Chevallier, A. 1996. The Encyclopaedia of