The national tree of China and a favourite amongst landscapers the world over. Although it is a deciduous tree, it is botanically exclusive and classed as a conifer which dates back to the Jurassic period 270 million years ago.

Its unique fan-shaped leaf catches the slightest of summer breezes, calmly fluttering along its branches. Two veins enter the leaf blade, which radiates out to its fan edge like subtle brushstrokes of watercolour green. Some leaves will develop further dividing down the centre of the fan, slightly bisecting. The name biloba is named from Bis meaning two, and loba meaning lobed, referring to the shape and split of the leaves. The appearance of the leaf is similar to Adiantum capillus-veneris, the maidenhair fern which is what provides its common name.

Renowned for its stunning autumn beauty, the Gingko is prized for its gold, saffron-yellow foliage. When planted and matured along avenues, the autumn snow of its golden leaves is breathtakingly beautiful. It can transform mediocre roadways into glorious avenues of international recognition.

The female Ginkgo produces fruit that falls in the autumn. These are cherished throughout Asia and used to create the vegetarian dish Buddhas delight. Once they fall and decompose, they produce a pungent unpleasant aroma. Unfortunately, it is not possible to tell whether it is male or female until the tree has grown into maturity. If the tree was grafted, a male has been known to revert to female. Hillier Ginkgo trees are grown from seedlings which favours the odds in that if the variety is male, it will continue to mature as male without fruiting.