# Ginkgo tree/wood



## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

Perhaps my favorite tree is the Ginkgo tree. We have a beautiful one on our property and I have seen many beautiful Ginkgo trees around the world (especially China). It has a beautiful leaf, a great shape and in the fall all the leaves fall off within about a 4 hour time period (strange).

The thought occurred to me - The Ginkgo tree is a fairly common tree, yet, in all my years of woodworking, I have never seen ginkgo wood. Has anyone else?

For the record, I am NOT cutting down my Ginkgo tree to see what the wood is like.


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

Somebody must use it. It's for sale here
http://www.innernet.net/galleryofwood/pricelist.htm
The photo of the wood looks nice.

Another source says "The wood is of a yellowish color without any resinous qualities, and useful as lumber, though the Chinese cultivate the tree mainly for its nuts, ..."

I'd be afraid that upon slicing into it I'd find that it stinks as bad as the fruits on the female version. I taught at a high school where they planted a bunch of the female versions near the entrance. Great! A school that smells like rotten cheese stuffed in an overused gym sock…. it was a bad idea.


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## LakelandDave (Dec 25, 2009)

Rich, it's hard to imagine anyone cutting down such a beautiful tree - except when there's no option. That's got to happen occasionally, though. If you ever have the opportunity to work any, let me know.

It's was interesting to read that the Ginkgo might be your favorite tree, since it's also my sister's favorite and has been the subject of several conversations of late. After living in Florida for over twenty years, she now has a young one - planted after her granddaughter's wedding in November - and just before one of our coldest winters. Until recently it looked like it was a 'goner', but it now has leaves and small branches popping out on all three of its trunks that start below the ground. She thinks she would like to cut it back to a single trunk and has been trying to research that on the Internet. Since you have an appreciation for the tree, what's your take on single vs multiple trunks?


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

Dave -

As I said, I really like this tree. That does not make me an expert. Please accept that this is just the opinion of an admirer - not one who is particularly knowledgeable. I would trim away any lessor trunk (i.e. one that is smaller than the other two). In the future, I would trim again if one trunk was dominate over the other.


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## LakelandDave (Dec 25, 2009)

Thanks Rich - I'll pass that on. Let me know if you ever run across any of the wood - and I'll do the same.


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## Clarence (Nov 23, 2009)

The (gingko,ginkgo???) is reportedly the oldest tree species in the world--a living
fossil, if you will, dating back some 200 million years. It's old and smelly--but hey, 
so am I.


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

Regarding old trees. I have about 4 bf of Kauri wood. This wood is between 30,000 and 50,000 years old. It was trapped and preserved in a bog in New Zealand. The retailer even sent me some impressive looking certificates of authenticity and brochures so when I make something to sell or give away I can provide the brochure and the certificate.


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## buckeyedudes (Nov 1, 2009)

Hey Rich,
I was recently given a 1" thick x 5" wide x 8' long rough sawn piece of this lumber. I'd never heard of it before. My lumber brokerer said is was the ultimate in carving woods - much better than basswood or the others. This is because it chips out less, easier to cut, better more uniform grain. The wood smells citrus-ie, kind of like lemon or lime with a touch of menthol or camphor. I cut some tonight and hit my pocket knife on it. It carves like a dream. I would absolutely recommend it for a special project if someone wanted to carve a piece. Not sure what I'm going to do with my slab that is remaining. Take care.


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

Because you shared your comments on this page I assume you are talking about Gingko wood. However, you never explicitly stated that in your comment. Is this gingko?


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## hObOmOnk (Feb 6, 2007)

FWIW: I've starting about a 120 ginkgo saplings on my tree farm.
Some of them will become bonsai and most will be sold to garden store.
Perhaps my grandchildren will be able to use some of the wood.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Rich and Randy live in great growing areas with plenty of water, I wonder if the Ginko would make it in N. AZ? 
All our trees receive irrigation and some require a lot. Like the poplars. So getting water to it wouldn't be a problem. What kind of soil does a ginko like? We are fairly alkaline. 
thanks guys.


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## hObOmOnk (Feb 6, 2007)

Gene:

Ginkgo likes well drained soil but isn't picky about its mother dirt.

You'll find a lot of old ginkgoes along the streets in Cincinnati's older suburbs. There are several in the Greene brothers old neighborhood. I've got one in my yard that was planted about 80 years ago. There is a huge Ginkgo in Devou Park in Covington, KY. I plan on photographing it when I get some time.


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## Lovetoteach9 (Mar 5, 2016)

I live in China and have seen many Ginkgo trees in my city of Suzhou.
I had traveled with my wife Amy to my ancestor's village in Fujian province and saw two
very tall Ginkgo trees in the yard where my Great-great-great-grandpa
used to teach in that school on the hill, but the gate was locked.
We do have a pair of them in our own yard in Laixi, Shan Dong province which just had fruit.
And I know of some businessman selling them near Jinan, Shan Dong.
But the largest in abundance might be in Suizhou city, Hubei area where there is
a Ginkgo tree Valley that has identified 308 of them more than 1,000 years old,
17,000 more than 100 years old. They plan to plant 5,100,000 more Ginkgo trees soon.
I am not a woodworking person either, I just enjoy them.
Lovetoteach9 from Suzhou, China


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