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This Great Shade Tree Dates Back To Dinosaur Times
By ROSE OKEKE
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Young trees require sunlight at least four hours a day, adequate watering, and routine fertilizer treatments, but adult trees are quite self-sufficient.