| Genus - Ginkgo |
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| Species - Biloba |
| Common
Names: Maiden hair tree, ginkgo, 40
crowns tree, icho (Japanese). |
| Growth
Rate: Slow |
| Height:
15m |
| Spread:
5m |
| Position:
Sun
to partial shade. |
| Hardiness:
Fully Hardy |
| Soil:
Fertile, well-drained soil. |
| Origin: Eastern China, a very old genus of
trees, at least 200 million years old. |
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Description:
Unusual
leaf and tree shape. Thick, leathery bright
green leaves are fan- shaped and often turn
bright gold when a warm autumn follows a
warm summer. The trees usually start off
shaped like a flagpole but gradually become
wide spreading. It can cope with many city
conditions but is rarely planted because of
the highly unpleasant smelling fruit it
produces. A good tree for a large garden.
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| Care:
Requires minimal pruning. Remove any broken,
diseased or crossing branches in late autumn
or winter. When planting incorporate lots of
well-rotted garden compost in the planting
hole and stake firmly.
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Health
Benefits: Unlike many
other medicinal herbs, ginkgo leaves are not
frequently used in their crude state, but
rather, in the form of a concentrated,
standardized ginkgo biloba extract (GBE). In
Europe, GBE is among the best-selling herbal
medications and it ranks within the top five
of all prescriptions written in France and
Germany. |
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Ginkgo
has been used in traditional medicine to
treat circulatory disorders and enhance
memory. Scientific studies throughout the
years lend support to these traditional
uses. Emerging evidence suggests that GBE
may be particularly effective in treating
ailments associated with decreased blood
flow to the brain, particularly in elderly
individuals. Laboratory studies have shown
that GBE improves blood circulation by
dilating blood vessels and reducing the
stickiness of blood platelets.
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Ginkgo biloba - Maiden Hair Tree
(Large) |
| This
wonderful, ancient tree from China dates back at least
200 million years. Its distinctive, fan-shaped, bright
green leaves turn bright gold when a warm autumn follows
a warm summer. Mature male trees have thick, yellow
catkins in late spring. This tree usually starts life
shaped like a flagpole but gradually becomes wide
spreading. It can cope with many city conditions,
including pollution, and makes an elegant tree for a
larger garden. Maidenhair trees were introduced to Japan
about 1,000 years ago and often grown near temples - one
reason why they are a common feature in Japanese-style
gardens. The first maidenhair tree was brought to
Britain and planted in Kew Gardens in 1760. It still
stands today. |
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7.5lt
pot (1.2-1.5m) |
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Ginkgo biloba - Maiden Hair Tree
(Medium) |
| Famed
as a herbal supplement by the ancient Chinese, this
plant has been around since the dinosaurs. Very tough
and hardy, specimens in Japan actually survived the
Hiroshima bomb of WWII and are growing today. These
trees can live a long time, so you, your children, and
generations to come can enjoy this incredibly beautiful
tree for centuries. The unusual foliage in spring is a
light green, but will suddenly turn a pure, dazzling
yellow in the Autumn, remaining for sometime on the
tree, then suddenly dropping virtually all at the same
time. A convenient time for Ginkgo leaf harvesting. By
pruning these can be kept as an attractive shrub or
backdrop to a herbaceous border. They may even be used
to create very unusual bonsai. |
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5lt pot
(1 -1.2m) |
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