It is possible to call this tree safely "a live mineral" from Southeast China, it appeared on the planet about 200 million years ago. This is the contemporary of dinosaurs therefore him often call "dinozavrovo a tree".
Relic tree
The most ancient tree on the planet the ginkgo of a bilob is considered. At the time of the Mesozoic it was widespread on Earth, especially in northern latitudes, in regions of a temperate climate with high humidity. Much they were also on lands of present Siberia. After Ice Age only one type of a ginkgo from fifty survived. It also lived up to now.
Appearance
Ginkgo – very high tree capable to grow to 30 m in length and 3 m thickness. Young copies have a krone in the form of a pyramid, with age it becomes sprawling. This listopadny tree. Shortly before dumping the leaves of a ginkgo get a golden-yellow color.
Botanists consider fir-trees and pines distant relatives of a ginkgo. Here only leaves at them absolutely different. At a ginkgo they have an appearance of the doubled wide wedge-shaped plate. And remind leaves of ferns rather. However initially scientists carried a tree to coniferous plants, writing off lack of needles for evolutionary development. Of course, this opinion was wrong. The general at a ginkgo and coniferous only the relation to gymnospermous plants.
Features
The ginkgo is a dvudomny tree. Fruits are yielded by only female copies. Men's trees are much more harmonious women's of which the high raskidistost is characteristic.
Seeds and pollen the tree begins to form development only for 25-30. Its fruits remind small apricots. In the east of them everywhere eat. The plant with hunting gives radical young growth and cherenkutsya perfectly. It in many respects promoted its "survival".
The ginkgo is quite durable tree. There are copies which have more than 1000.
High resistance to industrial air pollution, viral and fungal diseases is peculiar to this tree. The ginkgo are seldom struck by insects. It is undemanding also in respect of soils. It is probable therefore this tree is so durable.
Under natural conditions the ginkgo grows mainly in East China and Japan where in forests adjoins to coniferous and broad-leaved trees. To other places this relic was put already by the person.
In the east of it esteem as a sacred tree and consider a longevity symbol. The ginkgo can be seen almost at each temple. In the period of a leaf fall the residents of Japan worship a ginkgo and yours faithfully collect fallen leaves.
This tree – the only thing from plants known to the scientist who contains specific substances of a bilobalida and ginkogolida. They have unique properties thanks to which ginkgo leaves actively use in medicine for prevention and treatment of a number of illnesses.