Yellow leaves of a Ginkgo biloba tree
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This Great Shade Tree Dates Back To Dinosaur Times
By ROSE OKEKE
Ginkgo biloba tree with yellow foliage
The Ginkgo biloba can grow to an impressive 100-foot height and 8-foot diameter, and its fan-shaped leaves provide excellent shade for your yard.
Sunlight through ginkgo leaves
This 200 million-year-old tree has many mind-blowing stats, but the most fascinating is that it is the longest-living fossil and predates even the dinosaurs.
Woman in traditional Japanese attire standing amid Ginkgo trees
Known as a slow grower, the Ginkgo biloba will eventually grow super tall. If 100 feet sounds intimidating, you can opt for a shorter variety that averages 20 to 50 feet.
Ginkgo nuts in a bowl
Ginkgo biloba is also known for its nuts, which taste great when cooked. However, the fruit is only produced by the female trees, which are notoriously smelly.
Green Ginkgo leaves
Ginkgo trees are pretty hardy and drought-resistant. However, these trees prefer a humid environment over drier regions, so they may not thrive in an arid zone.
Person watering a young Ginkgo tree
Young trees require sunlight at least four hours a day, adequate watering, and routine fertilizer treatments, but adult trees are quite self-sufficient.