The Gingko or maidenhair tree is native to southeast Asia (Britannica, 2019). This tree dates back as early as 200 million years. (Cohn, 2013) A living tree in China is dated at 3,500 years old (Triplett & Overstreet, 2004). This species was brought over to the United States in 1784 (Triplett & Overstreet, 2004). This type of tree, which is often used as an ornamental tree in the United States do to its insect and fungal resistant properties (Britannica, 2019), is a cultural icon in many Asian countries. This tree has also been found to have many medical uses as well, including memory improvement, increase of blood flow in capillaries and arteries, and as a treatment for erectile dysfunction (Triplett & Overstreet, 2004). The Gingko tree has been used for so many medical issues that most places do not even try to list all of them. This species of tree is easily identifiable by its fan shape leaves and fishy smell. It is also the only surviving member of the Ginkgo family. There are very few wild Gingko trees left. These trees are considered endangered, but they are being kept alive and strong by the domestic use of this tree. This is a wonderful example of how human intervention kept a species from going extinct.

I learned about this tree through a biology class and by finding one of these trees on my college campus. This species has a very interesting history. The picture above was taken for a project I did in the previously mentioned biology class, and shows the characteristic fanned leaf structure. I encourage you, if you are looking for more information on this species, to start with the sources that I have cited in this post.

 

Works Cited

Britannica, T. E. (2019, April 04). Ginkgo. Retrieved June 5, 2019, from https://www.britannica.com/plant/ginkgo-tree

Cohn, R. (2013, May 1). The Life Story of The Oldest Tree on Earth. Retrieved June 5, 2019, from https://e360.yale.edu/features/peter_crane_history_of_ginkgo_earths_oldest_tree

Triplett, R., & Overstreet, A. (2004, November). Gingko. Retrieved June 5, 2019, from https://www.bellarmine.edu/faculty/drobinson/Gingko.asp

Hello and welcome to my blog. The purpose of this blog is to analyze ways in which we can help our environment and also to look at ways we already have. I will focus on specific species and use my own images and experiences as much as I can.

Here is a little bit of information about myself. I am a junior in college studying zoology. I plan to continue to vet school upon completion of my undergrad degree. I am passionate about conservation. I also enjoy horseback riding, photography, traveling, and hiking. I am also a certified scuba diver. I took the image above while diving the Okinawa wreck off the cost of Ft. Lauderdale.