Ginkgo Biloba
This is the first installment of the Stacking Functions in the Garden, Food Forest and Medicine Cabinet : The Regenerative Way From Seed To Apothecary series
Common name: Ginkgo, Maidenhair tree
Family: Ginkgoaceae
Part used for medicine/food: Leaf, Seeds
Constituents:
Flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol) & Proanthocyanidins
Terpenoids (bilobilides & ginkgolides)
Ginkgolic acid (toxic)
Amino acids
Phytosterols (sitosterol)
Medicinal actions:
Anti-inflammatory
Antioxidant
Anti-platelet*
Antispasmodic
Cerebral & circulatory stimulant
Neuroprotective & cognitive enhancer
Peripheral vasodilator
Medicinal uses:
Improves brain metabolism of glucose and oxygen while promoting blood flow to the brain, improving memory, concentration, and brain function.
A strong antioxidant effects useful in peripheral vascular disease and restricted blood flow for any reason.
Can inhibit platelet aggregation, relax blood vessels & improve their tone, and can be used topically as an anti-inflammatory.
May be efficacious in the treatment of a wide array of conditions associated with age-related physical and mental deterioration, including Alzheimer’s disease/senile dementia, cardiovascular disease & cerebral vascular insufficiency and impaired cerebral performance
Pharmacology:
Flavonoids are antioxidant and protect blood vessels, brain and heart from free radical damage. Increase oxygen and glucose utilization & blood flow, therefore tissue oxygenation and nutriton.
Terpenoids, ginkgolides may be responsible for neuroprotective effects.
Flavonoids are antioxidant and protect blood vessels, brain and heart from free radical damage. They also increase oxygen and glucose utilization & blood flow, therefore improving tissue oxygenation and nutrition. •
Terpenes (Ginkgolides) appear primarily responsible for neuroprotective effects.
Ginkgolide B is a potent anti-inflammatory and platelet-activating factor antagonist and helps suppress cerebral vasospasm.
Extract has demonstrated ability to reduce plasma superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) and protect hippocampal neurons in vitro.
CENTRE OF DIVERSITY: China.
Cold Hardiness: Zones 3 - 8
GROWTH FORM:
deep rooted tree to 20–35m
lobed leaves to 10cm radiating out into the leaf blade
leaves turn a bright yellow in autumn, then fall.
USEFUL PARTS:
Leaf.
Seed.
Wood.
REPRODUCTION:
wind pollinated
dioecious — trees of separate sexes with male trees producing pollen in small cones and female trees producing 1.5–2cm long seeds.
prefers full sun, well-watered and well-drained soils.
Ginkgo biloba, more commonly known as the Ginkgo tree or the maidenhair tree, is native to China, Japan, and Korea. Today however it is grown, cultivated, and medicinally utilized all over the world. The Ginkgo is currently deemed the oldest living seed plant, as its fossils have been dated to be 270 million years before present. If that isn’t impressive enough, the Ginkgo tree species is its entirely own division or phylum. This means the Ginkgo biloba is essentially its own species, genus, family, order, and class. Historically, ginkgophyta has three genera, but two of the three are now extinct.
To put this into terms that may be easier to conceptualize: the only thing that ginkgo trees have in common with other plants is they are also plants. This means that pretty much everything about their genetic make-up, physiology, general behavior, reproductive strategies (including their mobile sperm; a trait particular to ferns, cycads and algae) and even their ability to photosynthesize is anywhere between slightly-off to fundamentally different from any other living plant.
The Ginkgo has a stout trunk that can grow up to 30 meters tall, consisting of dense wood, with tracheids similar to conifers. Their branches are of two types; long shoots along the main axis and short shoots, which are spur shoots. The tree is overall usually quite slow growing.
The Ginkgo (in a similar way to Cannabis sativa) is dioecious, meaning its reproductive structures are on different trees. Therefore, there are female trees and male trees, with ovules and pollen cones placed on the short shoots, respectively. The male cones produce and release pollen, which is most commonly pollinated by the wind, coming in contact with a female ovule. A pollination drop initiates fertilization.
Modern day uses of Ginkgo are well established. In Europe it is used extensively to support cognitive function. Ginkgo and its constituents are the subjects of over 400 scientific publications, making it one of the most researched herbal medicines. Numerous clinical trials have documented Ginkgo's positive effects on cognitive function. Ginkgo has been shown to affect recall, recognition memory, reaction time, attention, concentration, mood, and energy levels. Many diverse actions contribute to the overall effectiveness of Gingko. Actions that contribute to its effectiveness include direct and indirect antioxidant activity, optimal blood flow, and neuroprotective actions. The combined therapeutic effects are probably greater than that of an individual mechanism and are perhaps the result of the synergistic effects of multiple constituents of the leaves.
Referred to as yín xìng in Chinese medicine, the leaves of the ginkgo tree have long been used by herbalists for their effects as a brain tonic helpful for improving memory and the ability to concentrate. As a blood vessel dilator, it works directly with the circulatory system to increase oxygen supply to the brain and is additionally supportive to the heart and lung meridian systems.
The tree’s fruits smell like rancid butter, or worse, which is why some people prefer to plant only male trees. However, the nuts are said to be delicious and medicinal.
Ginkgo seeds are a popular food and medicinal crop in China, the plants are often cultivated for this purpose and are commonly grown in and around temples. One male plant can pollinate up to 5 females. It takes up to 35 years from seed for plants to come into bearing. Prior to maturity the sexes can often be distinguished because female plants tend to have almost horizontal branches and deeply incised leaves whilst males have branches at a sharper angle to the trunk and their leaves are not so deeply lobed.
Female ginkgo trees produce juicy, pulpy fruits with a thin, smooth, slightly glaucous skin that changes from bright green to a golden yellow open ripening; resembling small plums. These fruits grow either in groups of 2 or individually on specialized dwarf shoots that grow alternately along shoots. Although they look quite innocent at first – even possibly delicious – the juice of the fruit is said to smell strongly of aged Parmesan cheese and the pulp is acrid tasting and moderately toxic.
These ‘fragrant’ poisonous fruits ripen in late autumn, usually dropping en masse along with the leaves from the trees in late October to early November (in Southern Ontario at least). Due to their fairly consistent annual fruit production, female trees are not exactly sought after as a planted specimen and are only occasionally encountered in some areas, often when there are many trees all planted together. This gender bias is of course totally ignorant of the multitude of benefits and uses that the female of this species has.
One other thing that is important to keep in mind when dealing with Ginkgo fruit: the fruits contain quite a bit of oil, one of these oils being urushiol, the same irritating substance found in poison ivy and poison oak that causes anywhere from barely-noticeable to severe allergic reactions. Despite all of these sensory and chemical deterrents, east Asian cultures have been collecting the small, thin-shelled seed that each fruit contains and using them as a medicinal food for thousands of years wherever ginkgo trees occurred before being planted far and wide from their natural context.
It’s a bit of a messy operation collecting the seeds which are often produced profusely by female trees and lie unmolested by fungi, insects or most pests of any kind save for some adventurous squirrels which occasionally eat the seeds. I suggest rubber or latex gloves and a plastic bag are your best bet for collecting the seeds in addition to some grubby clothes that you don’t mind smelling cheesy for a little while. The scent from the fruit tends to linger when it gets on fabric or clothing and so you might want to try extra hard to remember not to wear anything that you are particularly fond of when engaging in the participatory act of ginkgo seed collecting. Although it’s best to wait until the late autumn for the leaves to change from green to a bright, brilliant yellow which signals the ripening of the fruit, some fruit inevitably gets knocked off of the trees during the summer and often continues to ripen and ferment on the ground. The seeds harvested from these fruits are just fine from my experience as long as they can easily be squeezed out of the pulp.
If you time it just right (pretty much right after leaf drop) then it won’t take you long to collect quite a few of the pistachio-sized seeds which you can then bring home (I suggest double bagging the seeds) to clean. There isn’t really one correct way to do this, so be creative and figure out something that isn’t going to make a huge mess or ruin any of your things. It is suggested to put the seeds in a bucket filled with enough water to cover them and vigorously stirring and sloshing them around with a stick works pretty well. Still wearing gloves, you can then pull the seeds out by the handful and place them in an outdoor sink or mesh strainer and then spray the whole lot with a hose to dislodge any stubborn chunks of pulp. They don’t need to be perfectly clean, and will still smell faintly cheesy when they dry but some find this new smell is less offensive than when freshly separated from the fruit pulp. After cleaning them you ought to dry them; some people spread the cleaned seeds across a section of pavement on a sunny day and raked them around every 20-30 minutes so they would dry evenly. They’ll be done in a couple hours if it’s nice and sunny.
Ginkgo seeds (aka “nuts”) should be eaten in limited quantities. Consumption of more than ten raw or cooked nuts in a day may cause 4’-O-methylpyridoxine (Ginkgotoxin) poisoning.
Many sources state that the nuts shouldn’t be eaten raw— as they contain the ginkgotoxin they contain in higher concentrations than cooked seeds can cause vomiting and even loss of consciousness if you eat a bunch. Cooking the nuts greatly degrades the compound, making them safe to eat in moderation.
The seeds should be eaten in moderation. Ginkgo nuts are safe to eat in moderation, but eating too many can cause side effects such as stomach upset and headaches.
A safe limit is about 100g per person per day.
For more info on foraging for, processing and cooking the seeds:
https://www.tyrantfarms.com/ginkgo-nuts-how-to-find-process-eat/
https://www.permaculturenews.org/2015/01/09/foraging-fun-ginkgo-biloba/
Ginkgo leaves are even more important to natural medicines than the ginkgo nut. Ginkgo extracts are actually made from the leaves, not the nuts, particularly the golden leaves in autumn.
Ginkgo biloba is extremely resistant to pests, diseases, fires and pollutants (making it likely to survive the most manmade cataclysmic events and many of naturally initiated cataclysms as well). I have heard it been called ‘one of the only trees able to thrive in New York City’.
Even the hardiest, most well-adapted native trees can succumb to insect defoliation, pollution, fungal and bacterial diseases, but not ginkgo.
Although not native to this part of the Earth, it has been utilized frequently in landscaping and urban settings in North America. Male trees are usually preferred because the female tree’s fallen fruits give off unpleasant odours.
Most people around the temperate world have probably walked within close proximity to a ginkgo tree; they are becoming quite popular as street trees and are popping up in suburban divisions, the islands in the middle of busy roads, in outlet mall complexes and downtown boulevards. The trees tolerate compacted soils, heavy clay, road salt and significant levels of both air borne pollutants and soil contaminates, making them very desirable as occupants of the generally harsh and increasingly toxic environments surrounding pavement and ‘development’ of all kinds.
Fortunately, as one may expect, ginkgo trees can flourish when planted in full sunlight in a rich, loamy soil with sufficient levels of organic matter. Just because the trees are able to tolerate terrible conditions doesn’t mean that they don’t outperform themselves when situated in a more pleasing and comfortable environment. Under ideal conditions individual Ginkgo biloba can live for hundreds if not thousands of years and there are examples that still exist in Korea, China & Japan where the tree has been cultivated for countless generations. With lots of space and little to no competition such as when growing on manicured lawns or in parks ginkgo trees can get absolutely massive; assuming a growth form that is entirely their own and unlike any other tree. The recorded medicinal uses of Ginkgo in China can be tracked back nearly 5000 years.
As stated above, Ginkgo leaves have an unusually large number of medicinally active compounds. These include terpene trilactones such as ginkgolides A, B, C and J as well as various bilobalides. Additional components of ginkgo leaf tea or tincture include flavonoid glycosides such as myricetin and quercetin. The plant also contains alkylphenols, biflavones, phenolic acids, polyprenols and proanthocyanidins. Specific compounds in gingko include 4-O-methylpyridoxine and 6-hydroxykynurenic acid.
Sometimes Mother Nature gifts us something that provides not only poetry for the senses (visual beauty) but also medicine for the body.
How to make golden ginkgo leaf tea
Collecting Ginkgo leaves for tea and tincture
To make a tea from the leaves picked from a tree, pick green leaves in late summer/early autumn.
You can then use 1 tablespoon of fresh leaves in one cup of boiling water to make a tea. Add a sweetener to it if you wish.
Alternatively you can shade-dry leaves, preferably on a screen (so there is good air circulation all round). You want to dry the leaves as quickly as possible but without over-heating (ie avoid full sun). To test for dryness, “snap” a leaf stem.
We usually collect ginkgo leaves as they begin to turn golden in Sept-October (for making tea and tinctures). Some people like to gather and tincture the spring, summer and fall leaves and mix the different tinctures together at the end of the year.
The most common way to benefit from the natural health benefits of gingko biloba is to use the golden autumnal leaves as a tea. This is best done with dried leaves. Depending on the size of the holes in your infuser, you might want to remove the stems before you dry the ginkgo. If the holes are large enough in size, the stems can come out into the tea. They are easier to remove when the leave is fresh.
You definitely want to increase the surface area, so the water absorbs all of the benefit of the leaves. For dried leaves, this is best done by breaking up the leaf, either by hand, or with a mortar and pestle. If you're feeling really ambitious, dried leaves can be ground in a coffee or spice grinder, this will maximize your yield.
You can then use one teaspoon of dried leaves – the secret to a good gingko tea is to let the brew sit for 5-6 minutes before drinking.
I generally use about a teaspoon or 2 in my infuser and let it steep in very hot water, just under boiling, for about 7 minutes.
Making Ginkgo Leaf Tincture:
This amazing tree offers us the opportunity to engage in a form of autumn alchemy.
We are invited to ancient knowledge to transmute some of the beauty and abundance of autumn leaves (that are usually mostly food for the soil and the soul) into medicine for the mind and body!
Starting in the early Autumn we collect Ginkgo Biloba leaves from a mature tree (those leaves that are still partially green and yellow ones as well), dry them and then soak them in a 45% alcohol solution in order to extract the medicinal compounds and make a shelf stable tincture.
Some suggest just gathering a handful of yellow leaves, chopping them roughly and submerge in vodka or brandy with a minimum strength of 40%vol. Leave for two weeks, shaking every day while you talk to them, offering your gratitude and love, and asking for their medicine.
After two weeks of infusing in the alcohol you can strain off the leaves and compost them. Bottle up your tincture ready to use. You can use up to three dropperfuls three times daily, although most herbalists recommend starting small and listening to your body. How much does it want or need? There is no point in taking more than your body actually wants.
For more information on making ginkgo tincture:
Please note: Do not use Ginkgo if on anti-coagulant, anti-platelet or other medication for circulatory conditions.
It’s been widely studied for its effective anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, platelet-forming and circulation-boosting effects.
According to current research, ginkgo biloba benefits include improved cognitive function (Increases absorption of oxygen and glucose in the brain), positive mood, improved blood vessel health (it fights hardening of the arteries and reduces plaque build-up), increased energy, increased stamina/endurance, improved memory and improved respiratory function.
Ginkgo biloba also boosts immune system function and muscle recovery by reducing mitochondrial damage and reducing oxidative stress. Due to it's potent antioxidant content, ginkgo biloba helps with eliminating toxins from the body and also inhibits the action of PAF, a leading cause of stroke.
This hardy tree not only survived the Ice Age, a large and ancient ginkgo tree actually survived the nuclear bomb blast at Hiroshima in 1945. Sitting only 1.1 km away from where the atomic bomb landed, the tree continued to bud after the blast with no major deformations.
When you consider Ginkgo's ability to be resilient in the face of tough growing conditions, its ability to help with soil stabilization, adding organic matter to the soil (with its leaf litter), providing habitat for wildlife, visual beauty and shade I feel that Ginkgo trees are an excellent candidate for incorporating into a Food Forest design (and/or into one's Regenerative Garden).
If you unfamiliar with what a Food Forest is, here is an image that depicts the basic concept:
Growing ginkgo from seed
Germination
Male trees bear pollen and female trees, ovules, commonly called “fruit.”
A mature ovule resembles a small golden plum. Beneath the fleshy outer layer there is a woody shell that looks like a large pistachio. This “seed” contains an almond-like “nut”.
Gather the ovules when they fall to the ground in late October or early November. As I stated above, it is important to wear gloves when handling the ovules, because contact with the fleshy layer can cause dermatitis. This “pulp” is also toxic if ingested. Note that (as stated above) the pulp gives off an odour of rancid butter or vomit as it decays.
Soak the ovules in water to remove the fleshy layer. To allow the embryo to completely mature, you will need to warm stratify the “nuts” for 6 to 8 weeks, and then cold stratify them for the same length of time or even all winter. After this artificial stratification period, you can pot them up. The containers can be placed outdoors once temperatures are warm enough in spring. Alternatively, you can sow your ginkgo “nuts” in the fall directly in the ground or in containers buried in the soil, to stratify them naturally. Only fertilized ovules will germinate.
Here are a few sources for good quality Ginkgo seeds:
https://certifiedseeds.ca/products/tree-gingko-biloba-nuts (Canada)
https://www.incredibleseeds.ca/products/gingko-biloba-tree-seeds (Canada)
https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com/product/ginkgo-ginkgo-biloba-seeds/ (ships only within the US)
https://twiningvinegarden.com/shop/trees-shrubs/foliage/ginkgo-biloba-seed/ (ships within the EU)
Artificial stratification is intended to reproduce the natural conditions the seeds need in order to germinate. An easy way to stratify ginkgo “nuts” artificially is to mix them with moist sand, vermiculite or peat moss in clear plastic bags with small holes punched in the sides. For warm stratification, keep the bag at 20 to 30°C. Check the medium periodically to make sure that it doesn’t dry out. A refrigerator (at about 5°C) is ideal for cold stratification.
Propagation by Cuttings
Propagation by cuttings is the best way to be sure of the sex of the tree (though you get a genetically stagnant tree, as in it has not adapted based on the stimulus provided by a natural parent tree). Take a cutting about 15 centimeters long during May - July (young or half-ripe wood). Stick in soil medium and keep moist and they should root.
Propagation by Grafting
Grafting is also used on ginkgos. Branches of male trees are grafted onto female trees in order to fertilize them. Propagation of ginkgo by cutting and grafting is not the preferred method used by propagators because ginkgos normally have a dominant central leader.
Cultivation Tips:
Cold Hardiness: Zones 3 - 8
A very easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soil types so long as they are well-drained, though it prefers a rather dry loam in a position sheltered from strong winds. Some of the best specimens in Britain are growing on soils over chalk or limestone. The plants flower and fruit more reliably after hot summers or when grown in a warm sunny position. Established plants are drought resistant and, as noted above, they also tolerate atmospheric pollution.
For more information on cultivation and other insights into Ginkgo: https://pfaf.org/user/cmspage.aspx?pageid=62
In order to strategize for companion planting Ginkgo trees in our food and medicinal forest designs we must first study how it grows and what other species it grows with in it’s natural habitat so that we can make a comfortable home for this extremely valuable tree and stack many functions in our designs.
Ginkgo Natural Habitat:
Ecology
Ecosystem niche/layer
Canopy tree species of the Ginkgo biloba forests in the Dalou Mountains, China. An asterisk (*) beside a name in the list below indicates a species representing its genus that is found in G. biloba -bearing fossil sites in southwestern Japan from the Pliocene to the Pleistocene.
Taking a look at what similar species grow in our own climates to those species that grew (and still grow) along side Ginkgo trees in the wild gives us helpful data points for strategizing to build Ginkgo Guilds and develop companion planting strategies.
Canopy tree species that co-exist in a natural Ginkgo habitat:
* Liquidambar formosana (Chinese Sweet Gum) -
This is another medicine tree I will be exploring in a future installment of this series and so makes for an excellent companion that stacks functions in the food forest and in the medicine cabinet).
* Cunninghamia lanceolata (Chinese Fir)
The fact that Ginkgo would have grown next to a variety of Fir tree offers us inspiration for companion planting with native fir species such as Balsam Fir
* Taxus wallichiana var. chinensis (Pilger.) Florin
* Lindera megaphylla Hemsl.
* Cyclobalanopsis glauca (Thunb.) Oerst. (Japanese blue oak)
* Cornus controversa Hemsl. (a type of Dogwood tree known as “Wedding Cake Tree”)
* Choerospondias axillaris var. pubinervis (Nepali hog plum)
* Juglans cathayensis Dode (Chinese Walnut)
* Celtis biondii Pamp. (Chinese Hackberry)
* Quercus aliena Bl. (oriental white oak)
* Cinnamomum wilsonii Gamble (Wilson's camphor-tree)
* Machilus nanmu (Oliv.) Hemsl.
* Sapium sebiferum (L.) Roxb. (Chinese tallow)
* Acer laevigatum Wall. (the smooth maple or Nepal maple)
* Prunus dielsiana (Schneid.) Yü et Li
* Tilia tuan Szyszyl.
* Ilex micrococca Maxim.
* Diospyros cathayensis Steward
* Corylus chinensis Franch.
* Osmanthus yunnanensis (Franch.) P. S. Green
* Michelia martini (Lévl.) Lévl.
* Salix hypoleuca Seemen
* Mallotus apelta (Lour.) Müell. Arg.
* Ficus henryi Warb. ex Diels
Cupressus funebris Endl.
Castanopsis tibetana Hance
Hovenia acerba Lindl.
Aphananthe aspera (Thunb.) Planch.
Tapiscia sinensis Oliv.
Emmenopterys henryi Oliv
The fact that these trees grow in limestone rich environments in their native range tells us something about their preferred soil type and how we can best strategize to incorporate them into our designs.
We know very little about how seed dispersal works in wild living ginkgo trees. As stated earlier, the fleshy “fruit” is really the mature, fertilized ovule with a a three-layered integument: a fleshy outer sarcotesta, a stony inner sclerotesta, and a thin endotesta. Its smelly, large seeds (20-30 mm x 16-24 mm) are one of its most well-known and distinctive features: the seed’s soft outer layer starts to break down after a few days on the ground and produces butyric acid, CH3(CH2)2COOH, giving it the “interesting” odor.
Germination improves after the fleshy seed coat has been removed by passing through the gut of an animal. In one of the wild ginkgo populations in China it is documented that the seeds are eaten by a wild cat, and in Japan they are eaten by badgers. People harvest the nuts, which are very nutritious, as do Pallas’s squirrels (Callosciurus erythraeus), which also may act as good dispersers by scatter-hoarding the seeds.
Potential functions provided by the tree in a food forest design are many, including but not limited to:
1. Well, it can’t be denied that trees do supply an abundance of food, in the form of leaves and seeds when it comes to Ginkgo. Obviously, trees can provide much more of this per square meter than small, short-lived annual plants can supply and for much longer, so credit is given where credit is due.
2. But, the food isn’t just for us. Many trees make great animal fodder, which adds a variety of nutrients, including plenty of protein. This could great addition to the diet of animals under human care, and established trees are typically much more resilient than herbaceous plants, allowing them the fodder to continue in times of drought. The diets of wild animals, too, rely heavily on both things that grow on trees and things that live in, on, and around them.
3. Then again, we mustn’t limit the role of trees as food to only animals. Trees drop leaves, twigs, fruits, and other organic matter to create their own mulches and nutrients on the forest floor, providing themselves with food, as well as food for an abundance of microorganisms, bacteria, fungi, shrubs, and other plant-life.
4. Finally, just to take on another aspect of the edible tree, we should forget than many trees have notable medicinal qualities, with polyculture forests having the ability to treat everything from fever to diarrhea to gout to cancer. While modern medicine has no doubt provide us with some health advantages, it pales in comparison to the power of nature.
But, food is an obvious answer. Trees are much more than food. They have the ability to do a lot of work for us and for the soils we rely on. Because modern agricultures tendency towards deforestation, we have seen a huge loss in topsoil, and trees are huge part of creating new soils and protecting them.
5. All of the detritus dropped from the crowns of trees and the ultimate collapse of dead trees, the rotting of roots beneath the surface of the soil, it all goes into building new humus. A new forest grows on an old forest.
6. But, trees also stabilize soils. Their roots spread out into them, their leaves mulch them, their crowns prevent heavy rains from eroding them, and their groupings control winds that might whisk away fertility. In other words, when we take all those trees away in order to plant cash crops, we are leaving that soil highly vulnerable.
7. Trees, too, help to keep soils moist. Though many growers worry trees will take away water from their plants, this is a miscalculation. Because trees provide mulch, because they provide shade and stop evaporation, because their roots often reach much further beneath the surface in search of water, because they prevent winds from drying soils out, they actually help to keep soils moist.
8. In the same breath, trees also help to regulate soil moisture levels. In areas that may otherwise be waterlogged, thirsty trees will take up the water and put it into useful biomass that can be feed back down, used for crops or crafts, and build soils back up to workable levels.
While we tend to think of tree products in terms of food, there are actually many other products that come from them, and designs strive to make the most of these. We can harvest from forest indefinitely if we care for them, or we can destroy them very quickly if we exploit them. Why not do it regeneratively?
9. Building with wood harvested with respect can enrich an ecosystem and improve many people’s lives. Ginkgo wood is resistant to rotting, fire resistant and has a smooth silky sheen. This offers much potential for building, crafting and making art. Regeneratively harvested building material that can be grown responsibly. In fact, some trees such as ginkgo have sturdy trunks and regenerate new large branches readily if coppiced for building materials.
10. Firewood is another thing worth considering, as it can be used to cook and heat. Many trees can be coppiced or pollarded to provide firewood year after year.
11. Smaller branches can be harvested and used for crafting. Making products like baskets, rustic furniture, and carvings can all be wonderfully fulfilling hobbies, provide some income, and give us useful items from natural sources, as opposed to more plastic.
12. And, of course, knowing that trees are great for the soil, they can also provide many useful garden products, far beyond shovel handles or bed borders. The leaves can be collected to make mulch, leaf mold, and compost. The trunks can be used to build hugelkulture beds.
Products are great, but trees should probably be as appreciated for the functions that can provide, especially with regards to making homes more energy-efficient, gardens more productive, and ecosystems more stable. We can use fruitful trees for so much more than what they produce.
13. Windbreaks are vital on many landscapes. They protect gardens from damage. They help to prevent dryland soils from drying out. They keep cold polar winds off of homes, and/or they can funnel cooling breezes towards houses. They stop some of the erosive effects of winds, and they harvest organic materials and silt the winds have picked up.
14. Shade is equally as important in many of the landscapes we cultivate and places we build homes. Deciduous trees can shade homes in the summer and allow sun into them in the winter for passive solar heating. Palm trees can provide overhead shade in tropical and desert gardens. Shade is also where we like to put picnic blankets and benches for leisure activities.
15. Trees are also vital to the local water cycle. Their detritus allows water the chance to percolate into the soils, both feeding the plant life in it and the springs and streams running through it. The trees, in turn, transpire the water back into the atmosphere, increasing rain cycles. Meanwhile, they keep the understory moist by protecting it from evaporation and wind, as well as providing it with humidity.
16. This steady supply of wind-breaking, shading, and transpiration equate to moderate temperatures around trees. The heat of the sun is blocked out, the cold of the wind is pacified, and the moisture in the air is kept regular. Areas around trees are generally cooler in the heat and warmer in the cold.
17. Trees can also be used to create living fences or living fence posts, which cut down on material costs and farm maintenance. Plus, as with many of these other functions, these fencing trees can also provide useful outputs, like mulch, crops, and pollarded firewood. They also provide useful habitat for beneficial pest control animals and other wildlife.
18. Ginkgo trees are beautiful and can be strategically planted in an urban food forest situation in a way in which it increases the beauty of the landscape and value of the real estate (all while also providing you with powerful medicine.
The living plants themselves guide us as to how best to use the medicine they offer us. Since ginkgos survived the bombs and have demonstrated their ability to live such lengthy lives (even in polluted environments) they come to mind among a handful of herbs that support our immunity and stamina as we face the seriousness of forms of artificial radiation, dioxins, glyphosate and pesticides contaminating our immediate environment.
(For more info read: “Protective effects of Ginkgo biloba L. against natural toxins, chemical toxicities, and radiation: A comprehensive review”)
Ginkgo leaves offer powerful antioxidants, helping prevent damage to the tissues of our body from free radicals. It improves blood circulation and counteract cellular damage that occurs when excess free radicals in the body are created during chronic activation of the immune system. This is the protective mechanism we need as we are constantly exposed to environmental toxins, such as dioxins, radiation and pesticides, and to such emotional stressors as overwork, unhealthy working environments and stressful home lives. Cell membranes are especially vulnerable to free radical damage, which can lead to the death of the entire cell. Ginkgo is invaluable to us because it protects cell membranes in the brain and other tissues throughout the body.
Medicinal Benefits of Gingko Leaf Tea/Tincture:
Let us look at some of the most important health benefits in detail:
Offers Radioprotective Benefits
Artificial Electromagnetic radiation (such as the artificial EMFs that are produced by smart phones, internet routers, smart meters, cell towers and 5G emitters) can cuase cumulative damage to your cells.
The powerful antioxidants in Ginkgo leaves serve to alleviate pathological disorders related to radiation exposure and prevent DNA damage via modulating antioxidant enzymes.
We can do things to protect ourselves against the harmful effects of Ionizing Radiation and EMFs, including a healthy intake of antioxidant-rich foods, foods that contains other compounds that offer specific radioprotective properties and taking steps to protect against heavy metal toxicity.
For those interested in learning more, I wrote an entire article focusing on a dietary approach for creating a protective shield (as well as providing the molecular tools our cells need for detoxification and regeneration) on the cellular level via eating a diet rich in radioprotective foods (which you can read here.)
Protects Against Aluminum Neurotoxicity
Drinking ginkgo tea or taking ginkgo leaf tincture helps combat the accumulation and toxicity of aluminum in the body. According to the researchers, ginkgo’s protective effect is linked to the antioxidant activity of its active principles.
Aluminum is laced into many cosmetic, personal hygiene and kitchen products and it has a deleterious impact on brain function and other parts of the human body. Aluminum is also one of the main components of most stratospheric aerosol geoengineering patents (and SRM aka “solar radiation management” patents), so Ginkgo leaf tea or tincture offers the benefit of helping protect our bodies from the harm of geoengineering operations via detoxing our cells.
For those that are unfamiliar with stratospheric aerosol geoengineering (aka “solar radiation management” or weather warfare technology:
https://web.archive.org/web/20200921065139/https://www.beeheroic.com/geoengineering-and-environment
https://ia802603.us.archive.org/1/items/WeatherAsAForceMultiplier/WeatherAsAForceMultiplier.pdf
Ginkgo offers Cardioprotective and Cardio Regenerative Benefits:
Data shows that the deleterious cardiac conditions were significantly attenuated by Ginkgo extract treatment. Furthermore, findings indicate that pharmacological actions of ginkgo extract treatment alone on sympathetic-cholinergic receptors is involved in the cardioprotective effect. Accordingly, research shows that the antihypertrophic action of ginkgo extract occurs via activation of M2/NO pathway. Overall, these findings uncover a new mechanism involved in the cardioprotective action of Ginkgo tea and tinctures.
The possible mechanisms via which Ginkgo exerts cardioprotective effects are mainly associated with anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, anti-apoptosis, and improvement of energy metabolism. Studies indicate that Ginkgo is a promising cardioprotective agent for myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.
Protects our cells from the damage of pesticides and other ubiquitous industrial toxins
Ginkgo biloba tea or tincture protects against toxicities caused by toxic chemical agents (such as lead, cadmium, and dioxin).
Ginkgolide A was the most investigated active ingredient of G. biloba leaf extract as a protective compound against toxicities.
Ginkgo Contains Compounds Which Optimize Mitochondrial Health:
Mitochondria are the powerhouses of your cells, generating energy to fuel your cells’ biochemical reactions. Via optimizing their function and promoting their rates of regeneration within your body you are building a solid foundation for health, vibrancy and longevity from the cellular level up.
Ginkgo offers a number on compounds in the leaves that optimize mitochondrial health.
Oxidative stress and mitochondrial failure promote altered protein degradation, reduced neurotransmission, synapse loss and tau/hyperphosphorylation, which are early stages in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). A growing volume of data confirms that Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) reduces oxidative stress and improves mitochondrial respiration and thus may be useful in preventing or slowing down the progression of AD.
Ginkgo leaves Contains Compounds That Increase The Endogenous Production Of Adult Stem Cells (aka “somatic stem cells”) and in particular neural stem cells, via optimizing a process known as neurogenesis:
Stem cell research has brought new hope for the treatment of neurological diseases. The key to stem cell therapy lies in inducing the specific differentiation of stem cells into nerve cells. Because the differentiation of stem cells in vitro and in vivo is affected by multiple factors, the final differentiation outcome is strongly associated with the microenvironment in which the stem cells are located. Accordingly, the optimal microenvironment for inducing stem cell differentiation is a hot topic. The extract of leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree is used worldwide and is becoming one of the focuses of stem cell research. Studies have shown that ginkgo leaf extract can antagonize oxygen free radicals, stabilize cell membranes, promote neurogenesis and synaptogenesis, increase the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factors, and replicate the environment required during the differentiation of stem cells into nerve cells.
The ginkgo biloba extract improves memory loss and cognitive impairments in patients with senile dementia. It also promotes proliferation of neural stem cells in the subventricular zone in those with Parkinson's disease in the hippocampal zone.
Reduces Tinnitus
A 2011 report, published in the Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment Journal, by Dr. Alexander von Boetticher, Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery in Lueneburg, Germany, revealed that Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE), when monitored in appropriate dosages, can be effective in reducing tinnitus. Ringing in the ears is a symptom of many underlying issues, including circulatory disorders. Ginkgo leaf contains antioxidants and promotes circulation. The flavonoids and terpenoids in it protect the nerves, heart muscles, and blood vessels from free radicals, thereby preventing the phantom noises that irritate the ear. [5]
Prevents Alzheimer’s & Dementia
Ginkgo may help relieve those suffering from cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. A report published in the Neurological Review, suggests that there have been measurable improvements in cognitive ability and activity due to Ginkgo. This is primarily due to the antioxidant compounds in GBE, including terpenoids and flavonoids. These components stimulate neural activity and keep cognitive pathways fresh and clear of amyloid plaque. They also aid in reducing the symptoms of autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. [6]
Increases Cognitive Abilities
In his report published in Psychopharmacology, Dr. K. A Wesnes, a researcher, suggests that ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) has an ability to increase memory and retention, boost focus, and stimulate creative thinking. Of course, the controversy stems from whether this is a placebo effect, since the medicinal benefits of this ancient plant are commonly known, but millions of people around the world turn to GBE for a brain boost. It also helps relieves the symptoms of schizophrenia. Indeed an amazing herb! [7]
Regulates Blood Flow
A research study in Phytomedicine: The international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology, have shown that ginkgo biloba extract is able to increase blood vessel dilation and stimulate blood flow to extremities in the body. This includes the skin and essential organs, properly oxygenating the entire body and boosting energy and strength. An increase in blood flow also helps those who suffer from claudication or poor circulation, allowing them to walk longer distances without pain. Due to its anti-clotting effect and the anti-inflammatory properties, GBE is also taken by those who suffer from gout. [8]
Ginkgo can block a compound called platelet-activating factor (PAF). PAF is involved with activating various kinds of endothelial and immune cells that secrete chemicals that enhance the blood-clotting process and create inflammation. Although this process is important, European research shows that PAF may contribute to some cases of asthma. The release of PAF from immune cells in response to pollen, dust and other allergens can cause constriction and inflammation in the bronchial airways resulting in limited or restricted breathing. The ginkgolides A, B and C found in a standardized extract of ginkgo leaf look like a possibility for reducing bronchial constriction and the frequency and severity of asthmatic attacks. Ginkgo is certainly an herb for people with asthma to investigate further.
Fights Multiple Sclerosis
In multiple sclerosis (MS), the immune system tends to attack the protective covering of the nerve cells in the body. This damage, furthermore, interrupts the ability of the nervous system to communicate with other parts of the body, resulting in many disorders. Ginkgo extract (GBE) is thought to be beneficial for people suffering from (MS). Researchers from the University of North Carolina, USA, conducted a small study on 22 participants, with findings that showed modest positive results and GBE reduced symptoms of MS in some volunteers, including fatigue. [9]
Prevents Altitude Sickness
A report published in the Wilderness and Environmental Medicine journal has confirmed that pretreatment with ginkgo biloba prevents altitude sickness. Also known as acute mountain sickness (AMS), this form of physical distress is normally seen in people who venture from sea level to elevations more than 2000 meters. [10]
Improves Vision
Another common reason in ancient medicine for using ginkgo biloba is its powerful effect on vision. The antioxidants present in ginkgo may help keep the ocular system clear of oxidative stress, thereby preventing macular degeneration and cataracts. However, given the small sample sizes of this research, no definitive scientific conclusions can be made–although, supplementation with ginkgo is likely not harmful, so why not give it a try?! [11]
Pain Management
There are mild analgesic qualities of ginkgo biloba, likely resulting from anti-inflammatory properties of its organic compounds. In other words, when inflammation decreases, so does the pain it causes. This makes it a popular option for people recovering from injuries or wounds, as well as those who are suffering from chronic headaches. [12]
Fights Depression Symptoms
If you are suffering from depression or chronic mood swings, ginkgo biloba can aid in balancing the hormonal levels and boosting your mood. The most promising results were seen in elderly people, particularly those suffering from depression as a result of cognitive difficulties. Recent research on younger people, suffering from depression, also showed positive results. [13]
Aids Social Anxiety Disorder
Ginkgo also aids against social anxiety disorder due to the presence of beneficial compounds such as terpenoids and flavonoids. This is mentioned above in its ability to increase cognitive abilities.
Relieves Vertigo
A research paper on gingko published in Advances in Therapy journal has stated that GBE extends its benefits to treating the symptoms of vertigo. Also known as dizziness, vertigo is a condition where one feels that the surroundings are moving when in reality they are stationary. Ginkgolides and bilobides, which are the unique constituents of this herb, may help in reducing the effects of vertigo. [14]
Relieves PMS
A research report in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine has shown ginkgo biloba to be effective against pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS). It may lessen the severity of headaches, anxiety, and fatigue, and also muscle pain, which occurs during menstruation. Ginkgo is also very beneficial in improving the mood of some women affected by PMS. [15]
Improves Reproductive Health
Ginkgo can dilate blood vessels and improve blood circulation to all the parts of the body, including the genitals, which eventually helps improve reproductive health. It improves sexual health by increasing libido. It has positive effects on maintaining the hormonal balance through proper serotonin levels, thereby decreasing the reasons that cause erectile dysfunction. However, it may have some side effects, including GI distress and headaches, according to the research, so take cautiously for these purposes. [16]
Relieves Asthma
Ginkgo lowers inflammation because of its antioxidant properties and therefore, has positive effects on nerve functioning. People who have used it have reported ease in breathing and have witnessed lesser symptoms of asthma. [17]
Treats Fibromyalgia
A report in the Journal of International Medical Research has shown that ginkgo biloba extract, when combined with a chemical compound coenzyme Q10, helped improve quality of life scores in those with fibromyalgia. This disease is characterized by widespread muscle pain, memory loss, irregular sleep, and fatigue. More controlled studies are now planned to look at the specific mechanisms of this beneficial effect. [18]
Heart Health
Ginkgo biloba extract has been linked to lower blood pressure and the elimination of blood clots throughout the cardiovascular system. These two effects, when combined, can be a major boost to heart health. This extract is often used in countries such as France and Germany for these benefits but is still undergoing testing in other parts of the world. Dilating blood vessels reduces the strain on the heart, while the anti-clotting capability significantly reduces your chances of suffering from a heart attack or stroke. [19]
Anticancer Properties
Dr. Francis V. De Feudis, published a report in the Fundamental and Clinical Pharmacology Journal, states that the high level of antioxidants found in ginkgo biloba leaves eliminates free radicals throughout the body. Experiments showed that exposure of human breast cancer cells to a gingko extract was positively linked to cell proliferation apoptosis. Furthermore, the extract also showed evidence of inhibiting DNA damage in human bladder cancer cells. Further studies are required to understand the potential of gingko biloba’s anticancer properties. [20] [21]
Anti-aging Property
One of the most “pop culture” uses of ginkgo biloba is as an anti-aging secret. While many of the claims are a bit exaggerated, the antioxidants in GBE do help delay signs of aging such as wrinkles and age spots and also keep the skin tight and healthy. [22]
Prevents Nervous Disorders
Ginkgo biloba exerts a positive influence on the nervous system by speeding up reaction time and lowering the risk of developing nervous disorders, according to herbal medicine. Also, intake of ginkgo biloba has been linked to reducing symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and Raynaud’s disease. [23]
Reduces Hemorrhoid Symptoms
Ginkgo biloba is effective as a short-term treatment in reducing acute pain caused by hemorrhoids. It also relieves the symptoms such as inflammation and bleeding, which happen because of the increased pressure on the veins of the rectum. [24]
Ginkgo trees have a mystical side too - according to Ming Dynasty medical scholar Li Shizhen, Taoist alchemists used to carve their magic spells and symbols on old ginkgo wood to gain access to the spirit world.
Whether or not the Taoists masters we onto anything with that, science certainly has a lot to say about the benefits this tree can provide to optimizing the function of and healing the human body/brain.
For more information on this species, read:
References:
- "Multifaceted Therapeutic Benefits of Ginkgo biloba L.: Chemistry, Efficacy, Safety, and Uses" https://ift.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2007.00597.x
- Ginkgo biloba: A Treasure of Functional Phytochemicals with Multimedicinal Applications : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8901348/
- “Health benefits of Gingko biloba” medicalnewstoday.com/articles/263105
- Hill, A. (2022, December 14). 12 benefits of ginkgo biloba (plus side effects & dosage). Healthline. Retrieved February 26, 2023, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ginkgo-biloba-benefits
- Overview and Recent Progress on the Biosynthesis and Regulation of Flavonoids in Ginkgo biloba L. : https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/19/14604
-“Examining Brain-Cognition Effects of Ginkgo Biloba Extract: Brain Activation in the Left Temporal and Left Prefrontal Cortex in an Object Working Memory Task” by R. B. Silberstein, A. Pipingas, J. Song, D. A. Camfield, P. J. Nathan and C. Stough, 18 Aug 2011, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
DOI: 10.1155/2011/164139
- “Ginkgo biloba in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. A randomized, placebo-controlled, trial” by Fereshteh Shakibaei, Mehrsa Radmanesh, Elham Salari and Behzad Mahaki, 18 April 2015, Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2015.04.001
- “Effects of Ginkgo biloba in dementia: systematic review and meta-analysis” by Stefan Weinmann, Stephanie Roll, Christoph Schwarzbach, Christoph Vauth and Stefan N Willich, 17 March 2010, BMC Geriatrics.
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2318-10-14
- “Effect of Brewing Conditions on Antioxidant Properties of Ginkgo biloba Leaves Infusion”: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10376522/
- “The Efficacy of Ginkgo biloba on Cognitive Function in Alzheimer Disease” by Barry S. Oken, MD; Daniel M. Storzbach, PhD and Jeffrey A. Kaye, MD, November 1998, JAMA Neurology.
DOI: 10.1001/archneur.55.11.1409
- “Ginkgo biloba special extract EGb 761® in generalized anxiety disorder and adjustment disorder with anxious mood: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial” by H. Woelk, K. H. Arnoldt, M. Kieser and R.Hoerr, 30 June 2006, Journal of Psychiatric Research.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2006.05.004
- “GABA-modulating phytomedicines for anxiety: A systematic review of preclinical and clinical evidence” by Karen Savage, Joseph Firth, Con Stough and Jerome Sarris, 23 November 2017, Phytotherapy Research.
DOI: doi.org/10.1002/ptr.5940
- “Ginkgo biloba for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction” by Alan J. Cohen and Barbara Bartlik, 14 January 2008, Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy.
DOI: 10.1080/00926239808404927
- “A systematic review of clinical trials on Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) effectiveness on sexual function and its safety” by Zahra Niazi Mashhadi, Morvarid Irani, Mahin Kiyani Mask and Clara Methie, July/August 2021, Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine.
DOI: 10.22038/ajp.2021.17813
- “Value of standardized Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) in the management of congestive symptoms of premenstrual syndrome” by A Tamborini and R Taurelle, July-September 1993, Rev Fr Gynecol Obstet.
PMID: 8235261
- “A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Ginkgo biloba L. in Treatment of Premenstrual Syndrome” by Giti Ozgoli, Elham Alsadat Selselei, Faraz Mojab and Hamid Alavi Majd, 13 August 2009, The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
DOI: 10.1089/acm.2008.0493
- “Ginkgo biloba extract improves coronary artery circulation in patients with coronary artery disease: contribution of plasma nitric oxide and endothelin-1” by Yu-Zhou Wu, Shu-Qin Li, Xiu-Guang Zu, Jun Du and Feng-Fei Wang, 29 April 2008, Phytotherapy Research.
DOI: 10.1002/ptr.2335
- “Ginkgo biloba extract improves coronary blood flow in healthy elderly adults: Role of endothelium-dependent vasodilation” by Yuzhou Wu, Shuqin Li, Wei Cui, Xiuguang Zu, Jun Du and Fengfei Wang, 6 February 2008, Phytomedicine.
- “Neuroprotective and Antioxidant Effect of Ginkgo biloba Extract Against AD and Other Neurological Disorders” by Sandeep Kumar Singh, Saurabh Srivastav, Rudolph J. Castellani, Germán Plascencia-Villa and George Perry, 2 August 2019, Neurotherapeutics.
DOI: 10.1007/s13311-019-00767-8
- Davidson, T. (2013). Ginkgo biloba
- Hawkins, B. (2018, February 24). Biology of land plants (BIOL 324), lecture. University of Victoria.
- Maidenhair-Tree or Ginkgo [Web page]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://canadiantreetours.org/species-pages/Maidenhair-tree_or_ginkgo.html#where
- Plant Divisions: Ginkgophyta [Web page]. (2013, August 8). Retrieved from https://tentativeplantscientist.wordpress.com/2013/08/18/plant-divisions-ginkgophyta/
For another great post on Ginkgo trees, check out:
Thank you for reading my Newsletter and thank you for your interest in cultivating and preparing your own medicine at home.
I hope this info helps you feel empowered in the knowing that you can grow, forage for and/or purchase natural locally grown medicines to be your best self without any need for pharmaceutical corporations.
The above post was the first installment of a series titled Stacking Functions in the Garden, Food Forest and Medicine Cabinet : The Regenerative Way From Seed To Apothecary.
This series which will eventually get compiled and formatted into my next book.
This is just so thorough!
Very, very cool.
This is just a superb post.