Gingko biloba - Zone 4

Gingko biloba - Gingko biloba, also known as the maidenhair, is the last living species in the Gingkoaceae botanical family. Appearing over 270 million years ago, the rest of the species in this family are found only as fossils.

Today, this tree is cultivated for two reasons: either the unique ornamental character of its leaves and golden-yellow fruits in autumn, or the production of edible and medicinal fruits.

Once pan-roasted or boiled, the kernel of the ginkgo nut, hidden beneath its shell, turns from beige yellow to green. Once cooked, the nut looks like a pistachio. You can then eat the nut as is, or incorporate it into a recipe for pasta, chicken, soup, dumpling or dessert. It has a rich, fatty taste, with a semi-firm, semi-tender texture, similar to roasted corn and edamame. On the palate, there's a slight touch of bitterness. Depending on taste, the bitterness of the nut can be emphasized or concealed in your recipe.

The seedlings we distribute are not sexed. Anyone buying ginkgo biloba from The Réfriche must want to plant some for nut production, as we select mother plants for productivity and fruit size.

The smell of the fruit, produced by the female tree, is described by some as nauseating. This doesn't stop others from picking them and eating their nutritious, medicinal nuts. In Asia, nuts are frequently used as hors d'oeuvres or condiments.

When harvesting nuts, it's important to wear waterproof gloves and avoid the stinging oil of the false fruit, the protective pulp that covers the nut, coming into contact with your skin. It's easy to remove the nut from the false fruit with your hands or feet.