Ginkgo biloba

Figure 1. A mature Ginkgo biloba tree.

Ginkgo biloba is the scientific name for Ginkgo, a species of tree native to China. Ginkgo biloba is also known as Gingko or the maidenhair tree. Ginkgo is the last living species in the order Ginkgoales, which first appeared over 290 million years ago. The tree was cultivated early in human history and remains commonly planted today. It is native to China, Japan, and Korea, but is also now grown in Europe and the United States.

Ginkgo biloba's leaves are unique among seed plants, being fan-shaped with veins radiating out into the leaf blade. Its leaves were often used in Chinese traditional medicine. Historically, Ginkgo was taken for asthma, dementia, bronchitis, and kidney and bladder disorders.

For nutritional values, refer to the Codex entry for Ginkgo.