Many ornamental plants are planted for their flowers, while trees are often planted for their fruits. When it comes to ginkgo, neither one nor the other is an option because it blooms late and its fruits are anything but fragrant.
What does the ginkgo fruit look like and is it edible?
The ginkgo fruit is similar in shape and size to a mirabelle plum, but has an unpleasant-smelling green peel. It is edible, with the edible kernel often used in Asian cuisine. Ginkgo fruits can only be found on female trees after 20 to 35 years.
Do all ginkgo trees bear fruit?
Not all ginkgo trees bear fruit, as there are male and female trees. The male ginkgo has catkin-shaped flowers, while the female has very small, inconspicuous ones. After the flowering period, mirabelle-like fruits only develop from the fertilized female flowers. However, this requires a sexually mature male ginkgo tree nearby; without this, fertilization is not possible.
When does a ginkgo bear fruit for the first time?
A lot of time goes by before a ginkgo blooms for the first time. It only becomes sexually mature at around 20 to 35 years of age. So you will look in vain for flowers or fruits on a young ginkgo.
What do the fruits of the ginkgo tree look like?
In shape and color, the fruits of the ginkgo resemble mirabelle plums. They are rounded, about two to three centimeters long and one and a half to two and a half centimeters wide. The outer shell is greenish until it ripens in autumn. Before the fruit falls from the tree, it turns yellow. The timing of this depends significantly on the prevailing temperature.
You can tell the ripeness of a ginkgo fruit quite reliably by its smell. The seed coat contains fatty acids that smell similar to rancid butter when they decompose. Because of this rather unpleasant smell, male ginkgo trees are often preferred to be planted. Without fertilization, you don't have to worry about any odor nuisance with the female ginkgo either.
Are the fruits of the ginkgo tree edible?
Given the unpleasant smell, it is hard to believe that the fruits of the ginkgo tree are actually edible. However, it is better to process or remove the tasty kernels from the shell outside of your home. The smell is difficult to get rid of. This also applies to stains or splashes on clothing.
Be sure to wear gloves when collecting and unwinding, otherwise the scent of your hands will remind you of this work for a long time. Watering the fruit makes it even easier for you to remove the outer shell. You can roast the kernels in the shell, but you can also remove them from the cracked shell and then use them.
The most important thing about the ginkgo fruit:
- first flowering and fruiting only at least 20 years old
- Fruit peel smells unpleasant (like rancid butter)
- Color: green
- Size: about like a mirabelle plum
- Shape: roundish
- Edible fruit core
- Use of the kernel/nut as a spice in Asian cuisine
Tip
If your ginkgo actually has ripe fruit, then you can try to grow a new ginkgo tree from the seeds.
