One is the loneliest number, at least according to the 1969 rock and roll hit by the group Three Dog Night. The tune bemoans typical teenage angst about not having that special companion.
True isolation and exceptional separation, especially in nature, are much more difficult to achieve. One locally grown tree, the maidenhair tree, is botanically unique and literally one of a kind in its family and order of plants.
Ginkgo biloba, as the maidenhair tree is scientifically known, is the only living species in its plant division of Ginkgophyta. Fossil records date this plant to at least 270 million years ago with many different and widely dispersed species.
Maidenhair trees are now surrounded by a saffron yellow apron of leaves. This native of east China is found occasionally in north Florida as an ornamental specimen.
The once commonly encountered tree, at least until two million years ago, has had its “native range” reduced substantially. Currently found wild in small, undisturbed areas in eastern China, this tree was thought to be extinct in the wild for many years.
In north Florida the Ginkgo is practically pest-free and resistant to wind and storm damage. Young trees are often very open and sparsely branched, but they fill in to form a denser canopy in a few years.
Early pruning to form one central leader or trunk is essential to having an erect specimen. If multiple trunks establish, the structural strength of the tree may be compromised.
Normally these large trees reach a height of 60 to 80 feet at maturity in ideal local conditions, with some exceptional specimens in China being over 150 feet tall. This species usually has a deep root system, making it resistant to extreme weather events in panhandle Florida.
The Ginkgo grows best in full sun locations with consistent moisture and good drainage. In its native range, specimens are frequently found on slopes and stream banks.
Growth is extremely slow for several years after planting, but it will accelerate and grow at a moderate rate thereafter if it receives an adequate supply of water and some fertilizer in landscape settings. This tree is very tolerant of fill soils in suburban settings and will tolerate a variety of pH levels, from acidic to alkaline.
This tree’s leaves are distinctive and showy. The fan shaped foliage is a moderate green during the growing season, but it becomes a bright yellow in the autumn.
Ginkgos are dioecious, having separate male and female trees. The males produce small pollen cones and the females have ovules formed at the end of stalks on the branches which develop the seeds.
For landscaping purposes, the male tree is commonly preferred. The female tree has a distinct, and some say offensive, odor associated with the fruit in the fall.
Gingko has a long and storied past with east Asian folk medicine. A variety of tonics and extracts have been created with this plant’s leaves, bark and seeds to treat a wide array of ailments.
Even today the leaves are the basis for herbal medicine. Some of the protocols are undergoing evaluation to determine the validity of the health claims.
While it may be the last of an ancient line of distinctive trees, it is still appreciated in the 21st century for its finer qualities. With its features and uses, it will never be without a home.
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