Subject: Re: gingko trees

From: [email-masked] (Chris Gentle)
Date: 4 Apr 1995 12:56:09 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] 
says...
>
>I spoke with a man late last fall who was grafting trees at a local 
>outdoor craft market.  He had ginko's and told me that there was no 
>apparent difference between the male and female trees until they were 
>about 15 - 20 years old.  He sold seedlings of undeterminate gender for 
>about a third the price of the grafted trees.  The scion wood came from 
>a male tree, so to be sure you have a male, look for a graft.  I can't 
>imagine anyone grafting on female scion wood.
>
>Dan 
>
>[email-masked]
>

Sorry to sound stupid.  I'm new with this.  Explain what a "grafted"
male tree is.  I've found someone here in my area that sells this
type.  I have heard it is better not to get a grafted because they
require so much special care.

Chris
<[email-masked]>

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From: [email-masked] (Jotan)
Date: 1 Apr 1995 15:30:25 -0500

When I got home from work Thursday, I found that the city had planted a
tree in front of our house, which I learned in a call to the city forester
is a gingko. The only thing I'd ever heard about these trees is that they
smell, but he told me that won't happen because it's the only one in the
neighborhood. Is this true? Can anyone tell me anything else about
gingkos? Specifically, will the tree drop anything on the sidewalk that
will be unpleasant when I go out barefoot for the paper in the
morning?--Thanks, Trish

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From: [email-masked] (Jotan)
Date: 2 Apr 1995 22:38:45 -0400

Thanks to those who answered my question about gingkos via newsgroup and
e-mail. I'll be optimistic that the city gave us a male tree (they seem to
know what they're doing; the trees in this old suburb are beautiful) and
look forward to the autumn foliage. Just in case, though, I don't think
I'll park my car on the street for a while.
Regards, Trish

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From: [email-masked] (John Springer)
Date: 1 Apr 1995 14:52:30 -0800

Jotan ([email-masked]) wrote:
: neighborhood. Is this true? Can anyone tell me anything else about
: gingkos? Specifically, will the tree drop anything on the sidewalk that
: will be unpleasant when I go out barefoot for the paper in the
: morning?--Thanks, Trish

Female ginkos drop stinky fruit, IF POLLENIZED, if there is only one
around, the flowers will never get pollenized. Now, what constitutes
'around'......
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John Springer              Many are cold, but few are frozen.
<[email-masked]     URL  http://www.cyberspace.com/~icered 
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From: [email-masked] (Kris Benarcik)
Date: 3 Apr 1995 15:05:15 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Jotan) wrote:

> When I got home from work......anything on the sidewalk that

Trish-

Wouldn't worry about where you park your car for quite a while; female
Ginkgos don't typically bear fruit for the first 20-some years of their
life.  So don't miss out on a good parking spot because of this tree....

Kris Benarcik
The Scott Arboretum

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From: [email-masked] (Jeff Blackadar)
Date: Sun, 2 Apr 1995 03:02:08 GMT

> will be unpleasant when I go out barefoot for the paper in the
                
You're very lucky because IMHO you lucked into one of the coolest trees
this side of the Paleozoic Era!  The drupes of the female ginkgo do smell
bad but not overpowering.  The bad thing about their seeds is that they
can cause a really serious rash (I know from personal experience), another
rec.gardener mentioned a few months ago that the seeds of a ginkgo
disolved the paint on a car.  
	Most of the ginkgos planted these days are male from what I know.
I think they need trees of two genders for the female to produce seeds but
I have also heard that a female tree will produce seeds without the
presence of a male tree, they just won't be fertilized.  There is a rumour
that you can tell the gender of a Ginkgo by its leaf shape but I haven't
substantiated this.
	The Ginkgo is sometimes called a living fossil because it has been
around so long.  It is pollution resistant and with age attains a
beautiful shape.
	Regards,
		Jeff
--
Jeff Blackadar   - [email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Chris Gentle)
Date: 3 Apr 1995 13:37:53 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] says...
>is a gingko. The only thing I'd ever heard about these trees is that 

Consider yourself lucky.  I've tried for nearly a year to locate a
ginkgo tree.  Our local nursery said, "Yeah, no problem.  I'll have
it for you in about two weeks."  That was in October.  They will not
even return my calls now.  I'd love to know where I could mailorder
one.  They are my favorite trees.

Chris

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From: [email-masked] (Meredith Morris-Babb)
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 95 16:02:33 GMT

In Article <[email-masked]>,
[email-masked] wrote:
><Smell descriptions snipped - thankfully!>

 This is a very old type 
>of tree, from when trees had sexes.   In this one case the male is much 
>better. 8-)
>

Jean is right - in fact, I remember reading that Gingkos represent one of
the oldest living forms of plant life on the earth, remnants of a family of
plants that survived the Ice Age in NA.

Just a little paleo-botany..very little!  ;-)

meredith

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From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 4 Apr 1995 03:12:46 GMT

>will be unpleasant when I go out barefoot for the paper in the

Ginkos have genders.  The trees are either male or female.  It is the
fruit of the female trees which smells -- exactly like really odiferous
dog leavings.  While it is true that a female ginko will not produce
fruit unless pollinated, I sure hope -- if the tree is female -- that there
are no others for a couple miles around.

Chris Owens

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From: <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 3 Apr 1995 20:19:16 -0500 (EST)

[email-masked] (Jotan) wrote in article 
<[email-masked]> to rec.gardens

Dan 

[email-masked]

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From: <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 1995 19:23:08 -0500 (EST)

[email-masked] (Chris Gentle) wrote in article 
<[email-masked]> to rec.gardens
><[email-masked]> 

A root stock tree is grown either from a seed or from a rooted branch 
of another tree.  For Ginko's  seedlings seem common.  These can be 
either male or female.  This is a genetic trait.  
When the nurseryman grafts on a new top, he adds tissue of known 
genetic character to the plant, creating a new branch to the small 
tree.  Using the technique I saw, once the new branch is established, 
the original top is cut off.  The new branch becomes the main trunk.  
>From the graft on up, the tree is of the genetic character of the wood 
grafted on, or scion.  
Since male scion wood is normally more available and produces a more 
valueable tree, I can't see anyone selling a grafted tree with female 
scion wood. 

The grafted tree should require no more care than the seedling, except 
that the graft should be kept above ground, and any sprouts coming up 
from the root stock should be pruned off, since there's a 50/50 chance 
that sprout is female and will, in about 15 years, produce fruit which 
smells almost exactly like dog crap.

Dan

[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Chris Gentle)
Date: 4 Apr 1995 12:56:09 GMT

Chris

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From: [email-masked] (Jotan)
Date: 2 Apr 1995 22:38:45 -0400

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From: [email-masked] (John Springer)
Date: 1 Apr 1995 14:52:30 -0800

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From: [email-masked] (Kris Benarcik)
Date: 3 Apr 1995 15:05:15 GMT

Trish-

Kris Benarcik
The Scott Arboretum

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From: [email-masked] (Jeff Blackadar)
Date: Sun, 2 Apr 1995 03:02:08 GMT

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From: [email-masked] (Chris Gentle)
Date: 3 Apr 1995 13:37:53 GMT

Chris

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From: [email-masked] (Meredith Morris-Babb)
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 95 16:02:33 GMT

This is a very old type 

meredith

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From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 4 Apr 1995 03:12:46 GMT

Chris Owens

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From: <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 3 Apr 1995 20:19:16 -0500 (EST)

Dan 

[email-masked]

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From: <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 1995 19:23:08 -0500 (EST)

grafted on, or scion.  

Dan

[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Meredith Morris-Babb)
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 95 16:02:33 GMT

This is a very old type 

meredith

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From: [email-masked] (Christine Owens)
Date: 4 Apr 1995 03:12:46 GMT

Chris Owens

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From: <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 3 Apr 1995 20:19:16 -0500 (EST)

Dan 

[email-masked]

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From: <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 1995 19:23:08 -0500 (EST)

grafted on, or scion.  

Dan

[email-masked]

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From: Simon Thompson <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 1995 18:31:18 -0700

It's only the fruit that smells, and most cities only use mail trees for 
street plantings.  Apparently, in Washington they have female ginkgos, 
but they spray the trees with a hormone to stop the development of the 
stinky fruit

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 3 Apr 1995 08:40:01

I did not see the original of this mail, but wanted to put in my 2 cents.
Do NOT plant a female Ginko.  Although lovely trees, the fruit has about as 
appealing a smell as rancid butter.  By my college they planted a bunch right 
by the eating area.   The stench got so bad that attendance significantly 
dropped off and they finally they removed the trees.  This is a very old type 
of tree, from when trees had sexes.   In this one case the male is much 
better. 8-)

Cheers.
Jean
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In article <[email-masked]> 
[email-masked] (Kris Benarcik) writes:>From: 
[email-masked] (Kris Benarcik)>Subject: Re: gingko trees
>Date: 3 Apr 1995 15:05:15 GMT

---

From: [email-masked] (J. Anonymous Mellencamp)
Date: 8 Apr 1995 22:48:15 -0400

: I did not see the original of this mail, but wanted to put in my 2 cents.
: Do NOT plant a female Ginko.  Although lovely trees, the fruit has about as 
: appealing a smell as rancid butter.  By my college they planted a bunch right 
: by the eating area.   The stench got so bad that attendance significantly 
: dropped off and they finally they removed the trees.  This is a very old type 
: of tree, from when trees had sexes.   In this one case the male is much 
: better. 8-)

: Cheers.
: Jean
: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I, too have not seen the original message, but offer this...

I own a townhouse in the city.  The street on which I live is fortunate 
to have, almost exclusively, 50+ year-old ginkgo on both sides, a few of 
which are female.  I love the trees, and frankly their presence was a big 
plus when I was deciding on purchasing the home.

A few of my neighbors who have females directly on their sidewalks have 
complained about the fruit (our's, by the way, is a male).  I have heard 
talk of a movement to have the females removed.

I don't feel it is that much of an inconvenience to keep a "daily vigil" 
when fall rolls around.  I've been more than happy to take on the task 
for a few of my unattentive neighbors when they aren't looking.  I know 
how to use a broom and a dustpan.

The Ginkgo is a beautiful as well as ANCIENT species that is tolerant of 
our modern urban lifestyle.  I feel it deserves some understanding.

Anyone interested should read Chistopher Hobbs book from Botanica Press, 
"Ginkgo, Elixir of Youth"  Capitola, CA.

[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Arthur W. Kelley)
Date: Fri, 07 Apr 1995 16:31:51 -0400

> will be unpleasant when I go out barefoot for the paper in the

Don't forget the liability issue. When squashed, the fruits of the female
are rather slippery - aside from smelling like dog poops. Sadly people
have fallen and successfully sued over stuff like this. This is actually
an easy out for you. If it turns out the tree is female after all and
starts dropping these fruits you could use the liability issue to get the
city to remove it.

-- 
-Arthur W. Kelley
 North Carolina State University
 [email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Steven M. Begley)
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 1995 03:25:32 GMT

>meredith

In botony class, the prof told us the Ginkgo is about 150 bizillion years old. 
The fan veination of the leaves harkens back to when ferns ruled the garden 
world. They are very tolerant of harsh city conditions, smog, etc., that's why 
cities like to plant them. I really wouldn't worry about the sex of your 
specimen. I'd bet money it's a male if the city planted it. 

FYI, Ginkgoes have serious tap roots. Never plant one over a septic field or 
similar "shallow" area, the tap root will be down there clogging up the works 
in no time!

Steven

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From: [email-masked] (Alice A. Harman)
Date: 14 Apr 1995 10:07:15 -0700

About Ginko trees (female) and nuts/fruits -- when I lived in 
Japan, Ginko's were everywhere and the females were prized for their 
edible fruit.  There were squads of ladies out in the morning raking and 
sorting and roasting the nuts to get rid of the outer coating.  Then yum 
yum yum!  
	If you've got female Ginko trees with fruit, do you have a 
business opportunity at hand?  
-- 
Alice Harman <[email-masked]>