Zhujian Ginkgo

Zhujian Ginkgo

　　　Product Name: Ginkgo

　　Origin: Zhujian

　　Alias: White Nut

　　Characteristics: Over the long history of cultivation, due to environmental conditions, cultivation techniques, and pollination, the traits and characteristics of Zhujian ginkgo have continuously evolved through systemic development, resulting in many variety types.

　　Product Overview: Mainly distributed in areas such as Guanshan, Yingdianjie, and Wuxie Forest Farm in Zhujian. Ginkgo belongs to the Ginkgoaceae family and is a deciduous tree. It is one of the oldest surviving species among existing seed plants, often referred to as a "living fossil." Its trunk is straight and upright, with deeply furrowed, rough, gray-brown bark on old trees, and sprawling branches. Ginkgo is dioecious—male trees have narrower, taller crowns, while female trees have broader ones. The flowering period is from late March to mid-April. The small, greenish-white flowers bloom at night and wither before dawn. Fruiting occurs around mid-May, with seeds harvested in September. Ginkgo is a long-living fruit tree, generally taking over 10 years to bear fruit from the sapling stage, reaching peak production between 30–40 years, and can continue producing fruit for several hundred years. Over the long history of cultivation in Zhujian, influenced by environmental conditions, cultivation techniques, and pollination, the traits and characteristics of the ginkgo have continuously varied, leading to the formation of many variety types. According to the "Classification of Fruit Trees in China," cultivated ginkgo varieties can be divided into three types: Meihé Ginkgo, Fóshǒu Ginkgo, and Mǎlíng Ginkgo. In Zhujian, those belonging to the Meihé type include two varieties: Daméihé and Pútáoguǒ; those in the Fóshǒu type include Luǎnguǒ Fóshǒu, Yuándǐ Fóshǒu, and Gǎnlǎnguǒ; and within the Mǎlíng type, there is one variety: Rén Dà Mǎlíng.

　　Product History: Also known as White Nut, ginkgo is one of China’s rare native fruit tree species. It is primarily produced in Zhujian City and has a long cultivation history. As early as the late Han and Three Kingdoms periods, it was already planted in areas like Guanshan and Yingdianjie. By the Song Dynasty, cultivation had become widespread. The Qing-era “Guo Chao San Xiu Ji County Annals” recorded: “The county’s Ginkgo Street has two trees, whose shade covers several acres of land—thus the street is named after them. Their fruit is called White Nut, enclosed in a shell, resembling an almond inside, white, tender, and flavorful.” In the early years of the People’s Republic of China, Zhujian’s ginkgo yield ranked first in the province (reaching 160.5 tons in 1954), making it one of the country’s key ginkgo production areas and earning a high reputation both within and outside the province. Export began in 1964, with main markets including Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and Hong Kong. By 1984, a total of 242.46 tons had been exported, peaking at 41.5 tons in 1967. However, after 1958, due to various reasons, ginkgo trees were frequently cut down, and yields declined year by year. By 1980, Zhujian’s total output had dropped to just 10 tons, merely 6.23% of the 1954 figure. In recent years, due to strong demand and rising prices for White Nuts, local enthusiasm for cultivating ginkgo has increased. Efforts have been made to protect and manage existing ginkgo trees better, expand cultivation areas, and yields have begun to rise again. In 1985, the total production reached 23.5 tons, 1.3 times that of 1980.