A 1,400-year-old ginkgo tree grows next to the Gu Guanyin Buddhist Temple in the Zhongnan Mountains in China and is […]
A 1,400-year-old ginkgo tree grows next to the Gu Guanyin Buddhist Temple in the Zhongnan Mountains in China and is a perfect celebration of autumn.
Every autumn, the ancient tree converts its green leaves into vibrant, bright yellow ones leaving a blanket of golden heap on the temple’s grounds attracting drawing tourists from nearby surrounding areas. Sadly, this tree is only one of a few left.
According to Kew Gardens in London, “Ginkgo fossils are common in the rocks of the Jurassic and Cretaceous, but today Ginkgo biloba is the only member of its genus, which is the only genus in its family, which is the only family in its order, which is the only order in its subclass.”
The gingko tree—also known as a maidenhair tree—is an ancient species that is native to China. Besides the magical yellow colour that it adopts in the fall, this particular species of tree is also wonderfully useful, serving as a source of food and equipped with various medical benefits that are recognized in traditional Eastern medicine.
