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Searching for Female Ginkgo biloba Trees

By April 8, 2015 No Comments
Have you ever wondered why city boulevards are dominated by male Ginkgo biloba trees? My first field encounter with a female Ginkgo biloba specimen only happened last summer and I wondered why that was.
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It turns out the females produce seeds in a fleshy covering (the sarcotesta) which contains butyric acid. Once fallen on the ground the fleshy parts produce an unpleasant odour; not exactly the best thing for city boulevards. I have seen various descriptions of the smell but why not find out for yourself? If you can find a female Ginkgo.

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