I first fell in love with the Gingko Biloba tree at the beginning of the pandemic while out for a slow stroll with my Dad. While walking down Simcoe Street, I noticed their elegant leaves on the sidewalk near Clarence Street. I stooped down to pick one up and admired its delicate beauty. When I got home that day, I pressed it by putting it in a small glassine envelope and putting it inside the pages of a heavy book. I also added the date and “Walk with Dad.” What a beautiful, preserved memory that I still have and cherish.
Since then I’ve stamped, stitched, photographed, painted, and pressed glorious Gingko leaves in our neighbourhood. They offer endless inspiration! Their leaves are so beautiful – some are heart-shaped, while others are more fan shaped and they are often described as “duck foot” shape. They grow in a range of sizes, from tiny to large, and colours, lovely greens in the Spring and Summer changing to golden yellows in the Autumn. Can you tell I’m smitten?
You can find these gorgeous trees throughout Victoria, with many in our beloved Beacon Hill Park. My favourites in the park are along the edge of Goodacre Lake, between the Stone Bridge and pickleball courts.
Did you know that fossil records date these incredible trees back over 200 million years? At that time, they covered most of the planet. They are extremely resilient! They are disease and insect resistant, can withstand pollution, poor soil, severe climates. In fact, the Gingko trees in Hiroshima were able to survive the atomic bomb in World War II. But now they are endangered. Some say that all the Gingko trees left on our planet were planted by humans at some point (they can live for thousands of years), while some say that there are still some old-growth forests of Gingko trees in China.
Gingko trees are sacred and celebrated in Asia, especially China and Japan. It is the national tree of China and the official tree of Tokyo, Japan. They are generally planted near Taoist and Buddhist temples (some of these are over 1,500 years old). Buddhist monks have long used Gingko wood to build monasteries and furniture, as it’s fire resistant and slow to decay. In Taoism, shamans used to carve spells into Gingko trees as a means of contacting the spirit world.
With such an ancient tree species, it’s no surprise that it has incredible healing benefits. In traditional Chinese medicine, the seeds have been used for over 1,000 years to treat chest complaints, increase circulation and blood flow, and also as an aphrodisiac. Here in the West, the leaves are used to make herbal remedies that enhance memory, ease depression, improve vision and treat asthma and Alzheimer’s disease.
Also, studies have shown that Gingko trees retain their vitality as they age. Could they be the fountain of youth?
The name Gingko Biloba means “silver apricot” referring to its fruit. Have you seen or eaten a Gingko fruit? Me neither! But apparently, they smell terrible (like vomit), which is why we don’t really see them in our cities (the fruit only grows on the female trees and generally only male trees are planted here). But inside this smelly fruit is a nut-like seed that is roasted like cashews and served, eaten and enjoyed in congee and at special occasions in China.
Gingko trees are symbols of longevity, good health, hope, happiness and good fortune (their leaves show the ever-widening future spreading out before us). Such magical trees to enjoy throughout the year!
This article was originally published in the James Bay Beacon newspaper in May 2024.
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