Maidenhair tree
Ginko biloba
Maidenhair trees are called living fossils – these are the ancestors of this species that had formed forests around 200 million years ago. Maidenhair trees found their way to Europe most likely from Japan, hence the name of Japanese gingko they are often referred to. This is a misleading name as the natural habitat of the maidenhair tree is China, where it is now considered as an endemic species. The maidenhair tree is a diclinous plant; in parks male species occur more frequently because arils, in which the seeds of female species are hidden, give up an unpleasant smell.