Ginkgo Trees in Gangcheng

Ginkgo Trees in Gangcheng

　　Ginkgo, commonly known as white fruit tree or grandfather-grandson tree, belongs to the gymnosperm division, ginkgo order. It is an ancient relic plant, often referred to as a living fossil.

Gangcheng has always had many ginkgo trees. There are currently 22 ancient ginkgo trees over 800 years old, among which 10 are over 1,000 years old. Two ancient ginkgo trees in the courtyard of Zhongyun Forest Farm on Zhongyun Mountain were planted during the Tang Dynasty, now over 1,200 years old. The larger one is nearly 30 meters tall with a trunk diameter of 2.3 meters. The two trees are only 2 meters apart, their canopies overlapping, creating a magnificent and beautiful sight. As early as 200 years ago, they were listed as one of the 24 Scenic Spots of Yuntai Mountain and were known as divine trees. In Baiguo Tree Village, Yunshan Township on Beiyuntai Mountain, there is a female ginkgo tree over a thousand years old, standing 21.7 meters tall, growing in a cluster of five with a crown spread of 20 square meters. It enjoys national-level protection. In front of Wudao Nunnery in Sucheng Township, there are two thousand-year-old ginkgo trees: the male stands 23.5 meters tall with a girth of 5.14 meters and a crown spread of 25 square meters; the other male is 19.5 meters tall, 4.34 meters in girth, and 18 square meters in crown spread. Several ginkgo trees within the Sanyuan Palace at Huaguo Mountain on Yuntai Mountain are also over a thousand years old.

Ginkgo trees have an elegant shape, their canopies resembling parasols. They are also highly resistant to pests, drought, and poor soil, making them excellent for timber and landscaping. The fruit of the ginkgo—ginkgo nuts—is a premium tonic. Both the nuts and leaves are used in traditional medicine.

In recent years, ginkgo has been cultivated as a greening tree species in Gangcheng, while in mountainous villages, it is planted extensively as an economic forest crop.