Leaf guide › Other hardwoods
Ginkgo
Ginkgo biloba
A golden fan-shaped leaf from a city tree with a very old family history.
Updated
- Fall color
- Yellow
- Turns
- Late
- Leaves
- Clustered on short spurs
- Size
- 2–3 in. across
- Found in
- New England & New York, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest, Great Plains, Rockies, Southwest, Pacific Northwest, California
How to recognize it
- Fan shape with fine veins radiating from the stem, and no midrib.
- Often a notch in the middle of the top edge.
- Leaves grow in clusters on short knobby spurs.
- Turns uniform gold, then drops nearly every leaf within a few days.
Worth knowing
Ginkgo’s lineage goes back more than 200 million years. Cities usually plant male trees, because females drop fruit that smells like rancid butter.
Common questions
What color does ginkgo turn in fall?
Ginkgo turns yellow in fall. A golden fan-shaped leaf from a city tree with a very old family history.
When does ginkgo change color?
It’s one of the later trees to color, often after the maples have passed peak.
Where does ginkgo grow?
In the lower 48, look for it in New England & New York, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest, Great Plains, Rockies, Southwest, Pacific Northwest, California.
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