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Difference between revisions of "Ginkgo"
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==News About Ginkgo== | ==News About Ginkgo== | ||
'''Ginkgo herb could prevent strokes''' | |||
*Source:http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/news/health/277008/ginkgo-herb-could-prevent-strokes.html | |||
:(Marie Claire) | |||
The herbal remedy Ginkgo could help stop the body from suffering strokes, a new study has shown. | |||
The popular supplement – full name Ginkgo Biloba – has long been taken by people as an aid to improve memory in the brain as it increases blood flow to the area. At least 100,000 people in the UK take the supplement regularly. | |||
Now scientists have discovered that Ginkgo supplements reduce the amount of damage caused in the brain, after tests were carried out on mice. The mice received daily doses of the herbal supplement for a week before scientists induced strokes in the animals. The group who were given a daily dose of Ginkgo had 50.9% less neurological dysfunction. | |||
The supplement also seemed to reduce the level of paralysis and weakness in limbs. | |||
Lead researcher Dr Sylvain Dore, from John Hopkins Institutions in Baltimore, confirmed the conclusions saying: 'Our results suggest that some element or elements in Ginkgo actually protect brain cells during stroke.' | |||
He added: 'If further work confirms what we've seen, we could theoretically recommend a daily regimen of Ginkgo to people at high risk of stroke as a preventive measure against brain damage.' | |||
Dr Dore admitted: 'It's still a large leap from rodent brains to human brains but these results strongly suggest that further research into the protective effects of Ginkgo is warranted. | |||
---- | |||
'''Ginkgo trees are resilient and brilliant''' | '''Ginkgo trees are resilient and brilliant''' | ||
*Source:http://www.redding.com/lifestyle/ginkgo-trees-are-resilient-and-brilliant-ep-375399777-354598401.html | *Source:http://www.redding.com/lifestyle/ginkgo-trees-are-resilient-and-brilliant-ep-375399777-354598401.html |
Revision as of 08:28, 15 March 2016
Herbal Remedies and Medicinal Cures for Diseases, Ailments & Illnesses that afflict Humans and Animals
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Ginkgo •
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accept the bitter to get better
Ginkgo Leaf | |||
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Ginkgo Tree |
Ginkgo
The medicinal herb Ginkgo as an alternative herbal remedy - The ginkgo tree is one of the oldest types of trees in the world. Ginkgos are medium-large deciduous trees, normally reaching a height of 20–35 m (66-115 feet), with some specimens in China being over 50 m (164 feet). A combination of resistance to disease, insect-resistant wood and the ability to form aerial roots and sprouts makes ginkgos very long-lived, with some specimens claimed to be more than 2,500 years old: A 3,000 year-old ginkgo has been reported in Shandong province in China.Common Names--ginkgo, ginkgo biloba, fossil tree, maidenhair tree, Japanese silver apricot, baiguo, bai guo ye, kew tree, yinhsing (yin-hsing)
Latin Name--Ginkgo biloba
- Maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba) is particularly renowned for its content: flavonoids, terpenoids, and organic acids. Researchers have studied its benefits in supporting all phases involved in sexual desire. An open study on 63 subjects found that the percentage of women responding to the benefits of Ginkgo biloba was higher than that of men, with relative success rates of 91%! Ginkgo biloba was reported to have a positive effect on all four phases of the sexual response cycle: desire, excitement (lubrication), orgasm, and resolution (afterglow). Theories for the results include the maintenance of circulation to the genitals and norepinephrine receptor-induced effects on the brain. (Cohen AJ, Bartlik B. "Ginkgo biloba for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction". J Sex Marital Ther. 1998;24:139–143).
What Ginkgo Is Used For
- Ginkgo seeds have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years, and cooked seeds are occasionally eaten. More recently, ginkgo leaf extract has been used to treat a variety of ailments and conditions, including asthma, bronchitis, fatigue, and tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
- Today, people use ginkgo leaf extracts hoping to improve memory; to treat or help prevent Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia; to decrease intermittent claudication (leg pain caused by narrowing arteries); and to treat sexual dysfunction, multiple sclerosis, tinnitus, and other health conditions.
Herbal Remedy Products with Ginkgo as part of the ingredients
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How Ginkgo Is Used
- Extracts are usually taken from the ginkgo leaf and are used to make tablets, capsules, or teas. Occasionally, ginkgo extracts are used in skin products.
What the Science Says about Ginkgo
- Numerous studies of ginkgo have been done for a variety of conditions. Some promising results have been seen for Alzheimer's disease/dementia, intermittent claudication, and tinnitus among others, but larger, well-designed research studies are needed.
- Some smaller studies for memory enhancement have had promising results, but a trial sponsored by the National Institute on Aging of more than 200 healthy adults over age 60 found that ginkgo taken for 6 weeks did not improve memory.
- NCCAM is conducting a large clinical trial of ginkgo with more than 3,000 volunteers. The aim is to see if the herb prevents the onset of dementia and, specifically, Alzheimer's disease; slows cognitive decline and functional disability (for example, inability to prepare meals); reduces the incidence of cardiovascular disease; and decreases the rate of premature death.
- Ginkgo is also being studied by NCCAM for asthma, symptoms of multiple sclerosis, vascular function (intermittent claudication), cognitive decline, sexual dysfunction due to antidepressants, and insulin resistance. NCCAM is also looking at potential interactions between ginkgo and prescription drugs.
Side Effects and Cautions of Ginkgo
- Side effects of ginkgo may include headache, nausea, gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea, dizziness, or allergic skin reactions. More severe allergic reactions have occasionally been reported.
- There are some data to suggest that ginkgo can increase bleeding risk, so people who take anticoagulant drugs, have bleeding disorders, or have scheduled surgery or dental procedures should use caution and talk to a health care provider if using ginkgo.
- Uncooked ginkgo seeds contain a chemical known as ginkgotoxin, which can cause seizures. Consuming large quantities of seeds over time can cause death.
- Ginkgo leaf and ginkgo leaf extracts appear to contain little ginkgotoxin.
- It is important to inform your health care providers about any herb or dietary supplement you are using, including ginkgo. This helps to ensure safe and coordinated care.
News About Ginkgo
Ginkgo herb could prevent strokes
- (Marie Claire)
The herbal remedy Ginkgo could help stop the body from suffering strokes, a new study has shown.
The popular supplement – full name Ginkgo Biloba – has long been taken by people as an aid to improve memory in the brain as it increases blood flow to the area. At least 100,000 people in the UK take the supplement regularly.
Now scientists have discovered that Ginkgo supplements reduce the amount of damage caused in the brain, after tests were carried out on mice. The mice received daily doses of the herbal supplement for a week before scientists induced strokes in the animals. The group who were given a daily dose of Ginkgo had 50.9% less neurological dysfunction.
The supplement also seemed to reduce the level of paralysis and weakness in limbs.
Lead researcher Dr Sylvain Dore, from John Hopkins Institutions in Baltimore, confirmed the conclusions saying: 'Our results suggest that some element or elements in Ginkgo actually protect brain cells during stroke.'
He added: 'If further work confirms what we've seen, we could theoretically recommend a daily regimen of Ginkgo to people at high risk of stroke as a preventive measure against brain damage.'
Dr Dore admitted: 'It's still a large leap from rodent brains to human brains but these results strongly suggest that further research into the protective effects of Ginkgo is warranted.
Ginkgo trees are resilient and brilliant
- By Laura Christman
Pretty, prehistoric and sometimes putrid. If you are looking for a plant with an odd mix of characteristics, the ginkgo might just be your tree.
Gold and bold in autumn, ginkgos are showy enough to be featured in yards; tough enough to withstand an atomic bomb; and old enough to be called living fossils.
"If you rated a tree from one to 10, it is a 10 ? and maybe even an 11," said Warren Lytle, retired Shasta College horticulture instructor in Redding. "It lives a long time. It has good fall color. It is relatively deep rooted. Branching is good."
Ginkgos, called maidenhair trees because their fan-shaped leaves resemble maidenhair ferns, are not prone to oak root fungus or other diseases and are not troubled by pests, Lytle said.
"It is essentially maintenance-free," he said.
The trees have quite a track record. Ginkgos outlived the dinosaurs. Even an atomic bomb didn't faze them. Several ginkgos survived the blast of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in World War II and are still living, notes the The Ginkgo Pages, a website devoted to ginkgo trees.
"I think they are great trees ... I wish that more people would plant them," said Marie Stadther, lead gardener for Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding.
Ginkgos have deep roots, making them unlikely to pop walkways or crack patios the way shallow-rooted trees do, she said. "They can live along sidewalks or in a grassy lawn."
While ginkgo trees have lots going for them, you don't see a lot of them.
"I think that people recognize the ginkgo name, but I don't think people understand the uniqueness of the tree," Stadther said.
Ginkgo biloba is probably more associated with herbal supplements on store shelves than large trees in home landscapes. Supplements are taken for various conditions, including asthma, tinnitus, fatigue and dementia. Asian cultures have long used ginkgo seeds as food and ginkgo extracts as medicines. National Institutes of Health's website reports mixed results on ginkgo ? some studies show promise and others conclude ginkgo is ineffective.
The ginkgo tree is the lone survivor of the ancient family Ginkgoaceae. Fossils of ginkgo leaves date back more than 250 million years, according to an Oregon Department of Forestry publication.
"At one time it pretty much covered the globe," Lytle said.
An ice age shrank the tree's territory, he said. The tree was thought to be extinct until 1691.
The ginkgo is a gymnosperm "more closely related to pines and redwoods than sycamores and peach trees," Lytle said.
There are male and female ginkgos. Females produce seeds with a yellow, fleshy exterior. Cherry-like in size, they drop in autumn and begin to ferment, giving off an odor similar to vomit or dog droppings.
"It's rancid," Lytle said. "It really is reminiscent of feces."
Because of the stench, there's little demand for female trees. Nurseries sell male ginkgo trees propagated by cuttings to assure they are stink-free.
Ginkgos can get taller than 80 feet, but trees in most landscape settings don't get that high. They are more likely to be 30 to 50 feet high, Lytle said. While mature ginkgos are graceful, they start out gangly.
"They are kind of scrawny when they are young ... It takes awhile before the canopy becomes rounded," Stadther said. Turtle Bay's McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens in Redding has several slender, young ginkgo trees.
Lytle described the ginkgo as slow-growing ? gaining only about a foot in height in a year. "Once it matures, it is a good shade tree but getting it to that size takes time."
Shawn Rohrbacker, a landscape architect with Melton Design Group in Chico, said slow growth is the reason ginkgo trees don't show up as often as other trees in municipal or commercial plantings.
"In Chico or Redding, one of the main purposes for specifying a tree is for shade," he said. "(With a ginkgo) you are not going to have shade available within the first 10 to 15 years that a standard tree would provide."
But ginkgos aren't always excluded. They are part of the sidewalk plantings in front of the Shasta County administrative building on Court Street in Redding, and the city of Anderson used ginkgos in its demonstration block on East Center Street.
"We've been very pleased with them. They very much complement the look of our downtown," said Jeff Kiser, Anderson assistant city manager.
Places to see mature ginkgos in Redding include Oregon Street near the downtown post office, the Sundial Bridge parking lot and the northeast side of Shasta College's theater building. And now is the time to take a look. Ginkgos are in their glory in autumn.
"They have that yellow, golden color," Stadther said.
"If you want to put some real sparkle in the yard, it's a tossup between that (the ginkgo) and the Chinese pistache," said Doug Campbell, owner of Gold Leaf Nursery in Redding.
When ginkgo leaves drop, they go quickly.
"They are the best leaves for playing in, kind of leathery and softer than other leaves and they fall all at once, so you get a big pile of them," said Wendy Swetka, a salesperson at Wyntour Gardens in Redding.
MORE ON GINKGOS
-- Some ginkgo trees are believed to be more than 2,500 years old.
-- Ginkgos are described as the living link between ferns and conifers.
-- Ginkgo trees are resistant to air pollution.
-- Buddhist monks living in the mountains of China around 1100 cultivated the trees and are believed to have saved ginkgos from extinction.
-- Ginkgo trees are dioecious with both male and female trees.
-- The fleshy coating of ginkgo seeds can cause an allergic reaction. Uncooked ginkgo seeds have large amounts of ginkgotoxin, which can cause seizures and even death.
-- Ginkgo trees prefer full sun. They are willing to grow in different soils, but need a site with good drainage.
-- Ginkgos do best in climates with wet winters and hot summers.
Ginkgo Biloba Could Help In The Fight Against Glaucoma
- (The Daily Health)
Imagine losing your eyesight… slowly you begin to struggle with blurred vison, not being able to focus and letters dancing all over the page when you are reading. The frustration and the feeling of being completely powerless against this distressing symptom of the ageing process must be truly frightening.
Sadly, what I’ve just described is the fate that awaits thousands of people every year. In fact, in the UK 40 per cent of people over the age of 60 will experience some sort of vision loss.
- Do you see what I see?
The truth is you don’t have to accept declining vision as “just a part of the ageing process.” Nor do you have to live in fear of losing your eyesight from macular degeneration… cataracts… or glaucoma, because it is possible (despite what you’ve been told) to stop these common vision problems and diseases right in their tracks.
For instance, glaucoma – a disease that ultimately leads to vision loss as a result of damage to the optic nerve – is particularly difficult to come to terms with. For many years, it was believed that high intraocular pressure (IOP) in the eye was the main cause of optic nerve damage in glaucoma. While IOP is definitely a high risk factor for this disease, it is now known that individuals with normal IOP can also develop glaucoma. This form of the disease is called normal-tension glaucoma (NTG).
Now, a recent study by Italian researchers has revealed that the herb Ginkgo biloba can improve visual field damage in some patients with NTG. That’s because this powerful herb helps improve blood circulation, reduces blood clotting and helps maintain blood flow to the optic nerve.
For the study, the researchers recruited 27 patients between the ages of 58 and 80. Each patient had NTG in each eye and reported progressive loss of vision over time. The patients were divided into two groups in a crossover design. One group received 40 mg of a typical Ginkgo biloba extract three times daily for 4 weeks, followed by a washout period (no treatment) of 8 weeks, followed by placebo for an additional 4 weeks.
The other group received the same treatment in the reverse order. Standard measurements to determine the extent of visual field loss were recorded in each phase of the trial.
As expected, the placebo had no impact on visual performance. However, when the patients in either group were treated with the ginkgo extract, each measurement of visual field showed significant improvement.
The researchers also found that the visual benefit was lost once the participants stopped taking ginkgo biloba.
Commenting on the results of the study, Dr. Robert Ritch, Chief of Glaucoma Services at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, said: “The authors are to be commended in embarking along this innovative avenue of research. Ginkgo biloba extract deserves further investigation for its potential in the treatment of glaucoma as well as other ischaemic ocular diseases.”
Bear in mind all the material in this email alert is provided for information purposes only. We are not addressing anyone’s personal situation. Please consult with your own physician before acting on any recommendations contained herein.
Ginkgo: Ancient Tree of Longevity
- By Conan Milner (Epoch Times)
Ginkgo's reputation as a memory tonic is fading, but it still has many other benefits
Few plants have as fascinating or as long a history as the ginkgo tree.
Ginkgo is old. Really old. It comes from the time of the dinosaurs, and has unique features unlike any plant alive today. Botanists consider it a “living fossil.”
At least 150 million years ago ginkgo grew all across the Northern Hemisphere, but was virtually wiped out in a major extinction event following the last ice age. Luckily, a few specimens survived in China. According to legend, Chinese and Tibetan monks recognized the value of this rare tree and began to cultivate it. The reason we have any ginkgo trees today is thanks to their efforts.
Ginkgos are revered throughout Asia where the tree has come to symbolize longevity and enlightenment. The world’s oldest specimens grow outside temples and monasteries in China. A large ginkgo growing in Shanxi Province is believed to have been planted by Taoism founder, Lao Zi. Another tree found outside Di Lin temple in Shangdong Province is estimated to be more than 3,000 years old. Modern Medicine
Ginkgo has been a Chinese food source and folk medicine for thousands of years. Today, it is one of the most widely used and studied herbal medications in the world.
Ginkgo leaf extract has been the subject of over 400 published studies. It has demonstrated circulation improvement throughout the body, most notably to the head. For this reason, ginkgo has been used for decades to improve memory and prevent dementia.
However, ginkgo may not be as effective a memory medicine or dementia preventative as was once believed. While some research from the 1980s showed promise in improving memory, in better and more recent trials ginkgo’s memory reputation failed to pan out. An important 2009 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association examined over 3,000 seniors for eight years. Researchers found that ginkgo had no effect on cognitive decline.
Ginkgo may not prevent dementia, but some research suggests it may benefit people who already have Alzheimer’s disease. These studies find that ginkgo extract is just as effective as the approved Alzheimer’s drug, Aricept, but without the side effects. In other trials, ginkgo has demonstrated some ability to treat PMS, anxiety, depression, and macular degeneration.
Many consider ginkgo leaf to be a cardiovascular tonic, and use it to treat high cholesterol, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and angina pectoris. According to researchers, ginkgo’s medicinal power comes from antioxidants and flavonoids.
- Traditional Use
Just as modern researchers are finding uses for ginkgo the ancient Chinese did not acknowledge, our ancestors saw attributes in the ginkgo tree that we would certainly overlook. According to Ming Dynasty medical scholar Li Shizhen, Taoist magicians used to carve their magic spells and symbols on old ginkgo wood to gain access to the spirit world.
Most modern applications for ginkgo were unknown to herbalists of the past. Likewise, modern emphasis on the leaf is a fairly recent development. Ancient Chinese herbalists were much keener on the ginkgo nut, which is traditionally used to treat lung problems (bronchitis and asthma), as well as incontinence and vaginal discharge. In Chinese medicine terms, ginkgo dries damp conditions. Like other trees used as medicine (such as white oak), ginkgo is an astringent.
Ginkgo had many names in ancient China—Buddha’s fingernail tree, Gongsun tree (a reference to the great Yellow Emperor), and duckfoot tree (referring to the shape of the tree’s unique leaf).
Since the Song Dynasty, however, the main Chinese name for ginkgo has been “yinxing,” which means “silver almond,” although ginkgo nuts look more like pistachios. Even the name we’re familiar with—”ginkgo”—comes from a mispronunciation of a Japanese word meaning “silvery apricot.”
There are two big reasons why modern people prefer the leaf over the seed: ginkgo nuts are slightly toxic, and they stink. Ancient Chinese herbalists sometimes used the leaf for coughing, wheezing, and pain, but never for memory problems. An old Chinese recipe uses powdered leaves baked into bread or cookies to treat diarrhea. Side Effects
The toxin in ginkgo nuts (called ginkgotoxin) is somewhat neutralized through cooking, yet Chinese herbalists will prescribe a small amount of the raw nut for excess phlegm conditions. Ginkgo nuts are traditionally eaten on special occasions throughout Asia.
The leaf also has traces of ginkgotoxin, but in much smaller amounts. At moderate doses, ginkgo is usually well tolerated, but some may experience headache, nausea, dizziness, and diarrhea, especially if they take too much.
According to the “Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica” by Dan Bensky and Andrew Gamble, the antidote to ginkgo toxicity is a tea made of boiled licorice root, or boiled ginkgo nut shells.
Because ginkgo improves circulation, it is contraindicated for people taking anticoagulant prescriptions, such as Coumadin. Those with an allergy to poison ivy or poison oak are also urged to avoid ginkgo. As with any botanical medicine, consult a qualified herbalist for best results.
A 2012 study suggested that ginkgo could cause cancer, prompting the Center for Science in the Public Interest to urge consumers to avoid ginkgo products.
However, major study flaws make ginkgo’s supposed cancer causing reputation hard to swallow. According to the American Botanical Council (ABC), the study used a lesser quality Shanghai ginkgo extract, rather than internationally accepted German extract.
Even more importantly, the doses fed to the rats in the study were between 55 and 108 times higher than doses consumers typically take (120–240 milligrams per day).
- Fun Ginkgo Facts
Ginkgo trees are hardy. Not only did they survive the ice age, they are popular urban ornamentals because they are disease resistant and pollution tolerant. Ginkgo trees were one of the few living things that survived the bombing of Hiroshima.
Ginkgo trees are found all over the world, but conservationists fear for its future due to a lack of biodiversity. Since 1998, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) has had ginkgo on its Red List of Threatened Species because the only place it lives in the wild is the Tian Mu Shan Reserve in eastern China.
People overwhelming plant male ginkgo trees, because the females produce the stinky nuts.
Germany, France, and China are the most avid users of ginkgo supplements, but much of the source material comes from South Carolina, which is home to a 12,000 acre ginkgo plantation.
Gingko Nuts for Health
- By Deni Bown
Gingko nuts are used to relieve respiratory problems in Chinese medicine.
Gingko biloba produces nuts that are slighter larger, but milder in flavor than peanuts. Gingko nuts can be roasted or pressed into an edible oil.
Inspired by the extensive herb grounds of the Chelsea Physic Garden in London, herbalist Deni Bown has cataloged 150 essential herbs for modern living. Herbal (Pavilion Books Ltd., 2001) is an excellent source book for experts and novices alike. With Bown’s expertise and anecdotes, the story of each herb unfolds and is heavily illustrated with personal photographs and botanical name plates. This excerpt explains how gingko leaves are used in Western medicine, but in Chinese medicine even ginkgo nuts are used to treat respiratory conditions. Herb Profile: Ginkgo
AKA: Maidenhair tree Ginkgo biloba
- Portrait
A hardy deciduous tree, reaching 30m (100ft) tall, with bright green, fan-shaped, lobed leaves, up to 12cm (5in) across, resembling those of maidenhair ferns. The leaves turn butter yellow before falling. Trees are either male or female, and fruiting occurs only when they are grown close together, and in warm summers. The fleshy, yellow, plum-shaped fruits smell unpleasant but contain large, edible nuts. Ginkgos are native to Zhejiang and Guizhou provinces in central China.
- History
The ginkgo tree is a botanical dinosaur. Plants alive today are unchanged from their ancestors, which grew 200 million years ago. Though common in cultivation, ginkgos were thought to be extinct in the wild until populations were discovered in central China. Ginkgos are sacred in China and Japan, and often found near temples. In China, the fruits symbolize longevity and are eaten at weddings with other auspicious plants such as mushrooms and seaweed. The oldest ginkgo in Britain dates back to 1754 and is in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Western research into ginkgo began in the 1960s, establishing new and different uses for this ancient Chinese herb.
- Cooking With Gingko Nuts
Ginkgo nuts are slightly larger than peanuts but milder in flavour. They are served roasted in Japanese bars to accompany drinks, and used fresh, canned or dried and pre-soaked in soups such as bird’s nest soup, casseroles and stir-fries. Ginkgo nuts are a traditional garnish for Korean dishes, such as shinsollo. The nuts yield an edible oil.
- Healing With Ginkgo Nuts
In Chinese medicine ginkgo nuts are prescribed for asthma, bronchial congestion, coughs and incontinence. In western medicine the leaves are used. They contain ginkgolides, substances unknown elsewhere is the plant world, which improve the blood supply to the brain, eyes, ears and extremities. This results in improved memory and learning capacity, and may ease conditions such as tinnitus, vertigo, deteriorating sight and hearing, vein disorders and cramps in the legs due to poor circulation. It may also reduce the risk of a stroke. While the medical profession regards ginkgo mainly as a useful treatment for senile dementia, it has become the best-selling herbal supplement of all in Germany and France, where millions take ginkgo regularly to maintain brain power and circulation.
- Notes for Gardeners
Not surprisingly, ginkgos are tough — perfectly hardy, tolerant of pollution and about the only tree able to survive the wind tunnels created by buildings. Given a reasonably sunny spot and any well-drained soil, ginkgos are superb garden and street trees that take hard pruning and are virtually pest- and disease-free — every garden should have one. Though naturally fairly columnar when young, there are very narrow forms for confined spaces and several other interesting cultivars, including a variegated one. Most trees reach about 5m (15ft) after 10 years but young saplings make beautiful container plants. Patient gardeners can propagate gingkos by sowing ripe nuts, or by semi-ripe cuttings in summer.