Ginkgo is the last species of an ancient generation of trees that were once common when dinosaurs walked the planet! It was first brought to the UK from China in the 18th century. The fan-shaped leaves are unusual to look at, with two distinct lobes (hence bi-loba). It is a ‘dioecious’ species (i.e. there are separate male and female trees, whereas most trees have both flower types on the same tree). Ginkgos can survive tough conditions with heat and poor soils. They have therefore been used as street trees in cities like London and New York.
