Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)

Ginkgo biloba is a unique tree with no closely related species. It is one of the best known examples of a 'living fossil'. Because of its survivability the Ginkgo tree is believed to promote longevity. For this reason it has been called The Fountain of Youth.

The Ginkgo tree is the only living representative of the order of Ginkgoales, a group of gymnosperms composed of the family Ginkgoaceae consisting of about 19 members with its earliest leaf fossils dating back to 270 million years ago in the Permian period. This means that in the era of the dinosaurs (Jurassic, 213 million years ago) it already existed.

Ginkgo biloba is a large tree of up to 35 meter high. The leaves are shaped like a fan and are notched at the top. The ginkgo leaves show typical parallel veins. Male and female flowers grow on different trees. The oval pendulous fruits grow in great abundance on female ginkgo trees. The ginkgo fruits ripen in autumn into a mushy and malodorous mess. Ginkgo trees only bear fruits until they are about twenty years of age.

Occasionally both genders are found on the same tree, which is called a dicot. The female tree must be growing in the presence of a male tree to be fertilized. Ginkgo and the cycads are the only living seed-producing plants (spermatophytes) that have motile, or free swimming sperm. The Ginkgo has a unique place in botany because it is the only living link between the lower and higher plants, between ferns and conifers.

Ginkgo is a strong tree that can grow in almost any temperate climate and is resistant to pollution and diseases. This is why male ginkgo trees are very popular in cities. Since ancient times the tree has been planted in China and Japan in temple gardens, and also near shrines and castles for veneration, protection against fire, seeds and beauty.

Effects

Enhances concentration and mental clarity. It also enlivens the senses, by stimulating the blood flow throughout the body (especially the toes and fingertips) and the brain.

The leaves and seeds are used by the Chinese and Japanese as a herbal medicine. The Ginkgo biloba contains flavonoid glycosides and terpenoids (ginkgolides, bilobalides).
More than thirty studies on Ginkgo have been published since 1975, showing that Ginkgo increases the blood flow throughout the body and the brain. Ginkgo increases the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP, the universal energy molecule). It also improves the brain's ability to metabolize glucose, prevents platelet aggregation inside arterial walls by keeping them flexible, improves the transmission of nerve signals, and acts as a powerful antioxidant.

Usage

The leaves are often used for tea or to make an extract.
To make a tea, pour one cup of boiling water over one to two teaspoons of leaves and let it sit for about fifteen minutes. Then strain and sweeten to taste. Drink 2 to 3 cups a day.