Ginkgo biloba ornamental trees and shrubs. E-Catalog of Ornamental Garden Plants “Landscape. Plant care

There are very few relict trees left on our planet that are of great scientific value. One of them, undoubtedly, is the ginkgo biloba tree, listed in the Red Book. In this article we will talk in detail about where it was preserved in natural conditions, provide its description and photo.

Fossil finds of Ginkgo biloba date back to the beginning of the Jurassic period. Later, in the course of evolution, it was replaced by flowering plants due to the rapid change of generations, as well as active seed production.

Ginkgo among different peoples

In the recent past, Ginkgo biloba was classified as EW (extinct in the wild), but unexpectedly, scientists were able to discover two wild, and possibly feral, populations of the plant in Zhejiang Province, China.

In England, Ginkgo biloba was called the “maiden hair tree”: its leaves are associated with the foliage of the adiantum fern, which has another name – “Venus hair”.

It is still called the “Goethe Tree” in Germany. The great poet, who was fond of botany, dedicated poems to him. The French called Ginkgo biloba "the tree of forty crowns." Such a strange name was given to it by the botanist Petigny, who in 1780 purchased five seedlings in Britain, each of which cost him 40 silver coins.

At botanical gardens in the United States, dinosaur tree leaves collected by visitors are used to make original jewelry. To do this, they are treated with a special solution and plated with gold. This is how unique earrings or brooches are made.

Discovery of the relic

In Japan in 1690, a plant new to science was discovered. The doctor Engelbert Kaempfer, who served at the Dutch embassy in Nagasaki, showed interest in a tree with unusual leaves that looked like the famous Japanese fan. The small, silvery-yellowish fruits have an extremely unpleasant odor of rancid oil. Local merchants sold its seeds in their shops, which the Japanese first soaked in salt water to remove the smell, and then boiled or fried.

History of the name

Kaempfer first described the tree and gave it the name Ginkgo, while slightly distorting the name of the fruit in Japanese - Yin-kwo. It translates as “silver apricot”. European scientists, who knew only the imprints of ginkgo on stones, first saw these ancient plants in the first half of the 18th century. The first seedlings were brought to Western Europe, to the botanical gardens of Milan and Utrecht, then to England, and then to North America.

At first, the new trees gave botanists a lot of trouble. In the French city of Montpellier, the female specimen bloomed, but did not set fruit, and many wanted to grow the ancient tree in their gardens. A way out of this difficult situation was not immediately found: they looked for a branch for grafting from a male specimen for a very long time, but found it only in England.

In Russia, the plant appeared in 1818 in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden. These trees have taken root well, growing and developing in the Caucasus. Ginkgo biloba, photos of which can often be seen in landscape design publications, are grown in almost all botanical gardens in the former Soviet Union.

Today Muscovites and guests of the capital can see ginkgo in the open ground in the Botanical Garden of the Academy. K. A. Timiryazev, in the botanical garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and in the greenhouses in VILAR, ornamental trees and shrubs of ginkgo biloba and bonsai are presented at exhibitions.

More recently, gardeners in the Nizhny Novgorod, Bryansk regions, and Moscow region began to actively grow the plant.

Spreading

In nature, ginkgo biloba, which once had a wide range, is preserved only in the Tian Mu Shan nature reserve in China. The tree grows in mountain deciduous forests at an altitude of 1.1 thousand meters above sea level, usually along the banks of streams, on steep slopes and rocks. Prefers high humidity and acidic soils.

Ginkgo biloba: description

This is a relict gymnosperm plant. The genus includes one modern species. Ginkgo biloba is a tree up to 40 meters high with a spreading or pyramidal crown. The bark is rough, gray, and in adult specimens covered with deep cracks. The bulk of the trunk is wood, like all modern conifers. But unlike them, ginkgo does not have resin.

The leaves are light green, fan-shaped, slightly wavy along the edge, leathery, but very soft, usually dissected into two lobes. In autumn they are painted a bright golden yellow.

Ginkgo is a dioecious plant; male and female flowers can be on different trees. The first flowering occurs late, no earlier than at the age of 25 years, at the end of May or early June. Pollination occurs by wind. Immediately after fertilization, seeds are set, similar to drupes with fleshy shells. By November they turn yellowish or gray-green.

Chemical composition

More than 40 different beneficial substances have been found in ginkgo leaves, the main ones of which are flavonoid glycosides (24%) and terpene trilactones (6%). These are exactly what patients with cerebrovascular accidents need. Scientists associate the activity of ginkgo with them. The leaves of the plant contain organic acids and proanthocyanidins, which contribute to good solubility of substances, as well as steroids, flavonoids, waxes, polyprenols, and sugars.

And toxic substances have been identified in ginkgo seeds, and there are much more of them than in the leaves. In Europe they are used to make medicines. When an alcohol extract is obtained from the leaves, all toxins disappear.

Ginkgo biloba extract has a wide spectrum of action. In older people, taking the drug reduces nervousness, improves memory and normalizes sleep. Based on experiments, antiallergic and anti-inflammatory effects were established. Preparations based on ginkgo prevent the formation of blood clots, reducing blood viscosity, and normalize lymph flow.

Usage

Ginkgo is successfully used in both folk and traditional medicine. In recent years, many preparations from the leaves of the plant have appeared in pharmacies:

• "Memoplant".
• "Tanakan."
• "Pigobil."
• "Ginkgo forte".
• "Bilobil" and others.

The medicinal properties of this ancient plant became known to modern medicine relatively recently - only in the middle of the last century. But it should be recognized that scientists relied on vast experience in using the leaves of the tree in oriental medicine.

Li Shizhen, in his famous work “Great Herbs”, which was published in 1596 in China, highly appreciated the properties of the tree in the treatment of diseases of the heart, lungs, bladder and liver. Preparations from the leaves of the plant are prescribed for cerebral circulation disorders, which are accompanied by headaches, dizziness, weakened memory, and ringing in the ears. In addition, they are recommended for atherosclerosis and hypertension, peripheral circulatory disorders caused by smoking and diabetes.

Ginkgo strengthens blood vessels (capillaries, veins and arteries). The plant is also used in cosmetology - preparations based on it slow down skin aging and help lose weight. It is important that medicines made from ancient wood have no side effects.

Growing ginkgo

This tree is undemanding to soil, loves well-lit, sunny areas, and tolerates short-term temperature drops to –30°. For active growth and development, it needs moist soil, but the plant categorically does not accept stagnant moisture.

In the central zone of our country, ginkgo must be covered for the winter. In such conditions, plants develop only in bush form and grow very slowly. In milder climates (Moldova, Belarus, Ukraine, southern regions of Russia), ginkgos grow up to 15 meters in height and bear fruit regularly. Ancient relics are quite resistant to viral fungal diseases, as well as industrial smoke. They are extremely rarely affected by pests.

Reproduction

Plants are propagated in two ways - seed and vegetative. In the first case, the seeds are sown in the nutritious soil of the nursery at the end of April, where the seedlings develop for 2 years. To increase the germination of ginkgo seeds, they are stratified for three months at a temperature of 5 °C. By the end of the first year, the seedlings grow only 20 cm. In the third year, they are transplanted to a permanent place.

Vegetative propagation allows the use of not only green, but also lignified cuttings, shoots from roots and stumps. They take root quite difficult, so it is recommended to use growth regulators. This method is most effective in preserving decorative forms, of which many have appeared recently.

• The Chinese call ginkgo the silver apricot or white fruit. They eat its seeds as a dessert on very major holidays.
• Extremely hardy plants. Trees that survived the explosion of the atomic bomb in 1945 still grow in Hiroshima.
• The leaf extract, which improves blood circulation, is used in traditional medicine by oriental physicians in the treatment of senile dementia and schizophrenia.
• For a long time, ginkgo was considered an aphrodisiac, but recent research has not confirmed these properties of the plant.
• Excessive consumption of plant seeds can cause methylpyridoxine poisoning.
• The components of the juicy shell often provoke severe allergies in people predisposed to such reactions.
• The acid contained in the seeds gives them an unpleasant odor. During the ripening period, the tree emits such a unique aroma that only male specimens are planted in parks and squares.
• For several centuries, ginkgo has been used as a very impressive gardening crop, and magnificent bonsai compositions have been created.

E-Catalogue of ornamental plants for garden “Landscape” - decorative coniferous and deciduous trees and shrubs, vines, herbaceous perennials

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Climate influence and frost resistance

A winter hardiness zone is a region in which a certain plant species, as a rule, still tolerates winters well, in other words, the region where its cultural range begins. It is important to understand that the frost resistance of plants depends on many factors; all data on climatic zones of winter hardiness are only approximate. Within one zone, the microclimate of some regions may differ significantly from the given data. For example, urban areas are usually half a step warmer than the surrounding landscape. Large bodies of water, areas, as well as slopes and hilltops have a positive effect on the climate, while unfavorable conditions prevail in depressions and valleys.

The climate zone number is indicated under each plant description in the catalog, indicating the degree of its resistance to low temperatures - the lower the zone number, the more frost-resistant the plant. Plants can often grow in regions of five or more climate zones. A plant from zone 2 can usually grow without problems in zones 3,4,5,6,7 and possibly also in zones 8 and 9. These zone recommendations are based on the availability of optimal conditions for each individual plant and do not take into account snow protection . Information about climate zones of frost resistance is also a hint on how to cover plants for the winter.

Map of winter hardiness zones of Ukraine

Winter hardiness zones and their ranges of average annual minimum temperatures

Abbreviations:

Taoist monks considered this plant a symbol of yin and yang energy, believing that the tree was the keeper of wisdom. Contemporaries prefer to grow ginkgo biloba as a universal remedy for preserving youth and intelligence. This article will tell you how to provide proper care for a unique relict plant.

Ginkgo biloba: famous varieties and varieties

In the botanical world, there has been a long debate about whether ginkgo belongs to a specific family. The thing is that the plant is closer in botanical characteristics to coniferous crops. For a very long time, ginkgo was classified as a gymnosperm plant; representatives of this group are pine and spruce trees. However, the striking differences between the tree and conifers allowed scientists to assume that Ginkgo biloba is a direct descendant of ancient ferns. It is believed that these plants were widespread in the Mesozoic era, and their habitat extended to the territory of modern Siberia.

Healing tree - ginkgo biloba

Currently, wild trees are found in China. On Russian territory, ginkgo plantings can be found in small quantities on the Black Sea coast.

Ginkgo biloba is a deciduous plant with a unique leaf blade shape: the leaf of the tree is like a fan, the width of which reaches 8 cm. A fairly large leaf is supported by a thin long petiole (up to 10 cm). With the onset of autumn cold, the leaves quickly fall from the trees.

There are two types of leaves: the first grow one at a time on a separate petiole, the second type is characterized by shorter petioles on which 4 separate leaves sit. The first type of leaves grows and develops very quickly; the second type - significant time is spent on the full development of the leaf. In the photo you can see two types of tree leaves.

Two types of leaves

Unique plants are divided into male and female: ginkgo is a dioecious plant.

• The male tree is covered with catkins, in which pollen ripens to pollinate the females.
• Female plants bear special primordia in which seeds are set after pollination.

It is possible to distinguish what type of tree it belongs to only in the 25th to 30th year of its life, only then do special signs appear.

Pollination in nature occurs in the spring months with the help of the wind, which carries ripe pollen over considerable distances. Fruit ripening lasts until late autumn. Ginkgo seeds are protected by a peel consisting of three layers and have an extremely unpleasant odor.

Ginkgo biloba fruit

Trees are known that have lived to their 2500th anniversary. Unique photos of gigantic trees that have survived centuries of anniversaries allow you to see the beauty and impressiveness of these plants.

Ginkgo biloba: proper planting

When choosing a place to plant a tree, you should immediately consider that the plant will require a very large area, and the location should be the lightest - ginkgo is a light-loving crop. You need to choose a permanent place for growing - the tree does not tolerate transplantation very well.

In the first years of life, for about three years, the crop produces virtually no growth. At this time, the development and strengthening of the root system occurs.

Young plants

The seedlings are placed in special holes filled with fertile soil. When planting, you need to strictly monitor the location of the roots - they must be straightened and located freely in the hole. Requires uniform periodic watering - do not dry out the roots in the first years of life.

Advice! If groundwater is close to the planting site, it is better to choose a drier place.

Caring for a seedling - growing a healthy tree

Caring for a young tree comes down to periodic watering, loosening the soil and freeing the plant from weeds. Ginkgo is a very unpretentious tree that tolerates many growing conditions.

Advice! In winter, the tree should be covered with snow or spruce branches. The lower ends of the branches may freeze, but with the arrival of spring, the branches will quickly be covered with green leaves.

Nutrients can be added to the planting hole: ash or mineral fertilizers will do. In summer, young seedlings can be fed with complex formulations, applying them in liquid form at the root or as foliar feeding on the leaves.

Pests and diseases do not harm the tree

Ginkgo biloba rarely gets sick; the plant is very resistant to any type of disease. In winter, the bark of the stem can be gnawed by mice and hares.

Ginkgo propagation

The rare tree can be propagated using seeds and layering.

Layerings need to be taken from mature trees, it is best when it is already definitely known whether it is a male or female specimen. Cut cuttings are rooted in greenhouses in light soil. This operation should begin in the first half of summer. When rooting cuttings cut from the mother plant with part of the wood, it is useful to use root formation stimulants. Up to 50% of the leaves are removed from the cuttings.

Important! Rooted cuttings develop slowly and require daily spraying on the leaves, especially in hot weather.

Only have high germination rates seeds ginkgo is freshly harvested, therefore, when propagated by seeds, germination directly depends on the freshness of the seeds. The seeds of the plant resemble an apricot kernel, only they are white in color.

Ginkgo biloba seeds

Sowing seeds can be done in early spring. They are sealed in boxes to a depth of 7 cm. Film cover will increase the percentage of seed germination and reduce the time it takes to obtain young plants. Ginkgo shoots begin to appear about a month after sowing. The trees grow slowly, giving very little growth. Seedlings can be planted in a permanent place after a year.

Ginkgo biloba has a huge list of beneficial properties and is used to prepare all kinds of medicines that have a beneficial effect on the rejuvenation of the body. It is worth growing this rarity just because of the unusual nature of this crop.

Growing the rare crop Ginkgo Biloba: video

Ginkgo Biloba: photo

G Inkgo biloba (Ginkgo biloba) is a relict tree that belongs to the earliest plants on Earth and has a number of archaic characteristics. Ginkgo is called the “dinosaur tree” because it witnessed the life of dinosaurs on our planet. It is one of the 50 oldest species of trees preserved on Earth after the Ice Age. Moreover, as a result of this cataclysm, ginkgo trees remained in nature only in the Far East.
In its natural habitat (in the territory of Eastern China, in the vicinity of the city of Nanjing), ginkgo is a powerful deciduous upright growing tree up to 40 m high, with a trunk diameter of up to 4 m, with a wide pyramidal crown. Ginkgo can live up to 2 thousand years. Ginkgo is often mistakenly classified as a conifer. With the caveats that its needles have been reduced to leaves, which fall in the fall. What this plant has in common with conifers is that both conifers and ginkgo belong to gymnosperms. This is where their relationship ends. Ginkgo is a member of the Ginkgo family. (Ginkgoaceae), in which there is only one genus - Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo Biloba), i.e. "Ginkgo biloba." This tree has real leaves. They are partially separated by a notch so that the surface of most leaves has two lobes. This plant is widely used in medicine. Recently, preparations based on compounds isolated from ginkgo leaves have found quite wide use in the pharmacotherapy of certain vascular diseases, atherosclerosis, multiple sclerosis to improve memory and concentration.

Ginkgo tolerates frosts down to -30. But preventive shelter still won’t hurt, and then in our climate it will grow up to 1.5 m. However, our experience shows that as a result of acclimatization, ginkgo can withstand much lower temperatures for a long time. In our example, this is -35...-40 degrees below zero, and even lower. After all, even our harsh winter turned out to be nothing to the ginkgo - the tree successfully overwintered and began to grow in the spring. Ginkgo is photophilous and prefers a sunny place in the garden, but it is advisable to protect the seedling from the burning sun.