Living Fossils: The Science and History Behind Smith’s Ginkgo Trees

Gingko trees are the last remaining species of a primitive plant family, their existence dating back to 150-200 million years ago, when dinosaurs were still alive. Their long-lasting presence is reflective of their exceptional resilience – Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences notes their ability to survive in harsh environments, as well as their resistance to insects and disease.

Gingko trees are native to East Asia, but their durability makes them the perfect tree for almost anywhere. They can be found on the sidewalks of Manhattan, throughout China and Japan, and on the Smith College campus.

As the Smith College Gingko trees shed their leaves last weekend, piles of fan-shaped green and yellow leaves appeared across campus. Assistant Arborist of the Smith College Botanical Gardens, Andrew Rebelo, notes that “the leaves fall in about a one-day window.”

The Minnesota State Horticulture Society explains that as the weather gets colder, leaf stems form scar-like tissue where they connect to the branches. For many trees, this process takes place over the course of a couple of weeks – the Gingko is different – its leaves form a scar-like structure all at once, causing the leaves to fall over the course of a day. This scarring process is often brought on by particularly cold weather or a frost. Chief Arborist of the Smith College Botanical Gardens, Benjamin Green, highlights the wind and rain this past weekend as contributing factors.

Of the many Gingko trees on the Smith College campus, the most notable sits between the Lyman Botanical Gardens and Sabin-Reed. This Gingko tree, planted in 1901 and nearly 130 years old, is the state champion of Massachusetts - the largest Gingko in the state. This Gingko was planted as part of Olmstead’s 1893 design for the campus as an arboretum.

Smith College Ginkgo Tree (far right) in 1911, Kath EM Clellan ©

Gingko Trees are often referred to as “living fossils” – carrying history in the long lives they lead, some surviving for thousands of years. Last October, Smith College planted seeds from one of these living fossils - a Gingko Tree that survived Hiroshima. One seedling successfully germinated and is growing in the Capen Botanical Gardens Greenhouse. If everything goes to plan, it is set to be planted at some point over the next few years, when it is large enough.

The Smith College Botanical Gardens also has plans to plant more Gingko trees across campus in the coming years. Green tells me that they are “thinking of planting some along the sides of the road by JMG.”

By Lilly Butler

References:

Maurer, K. (2025). The Ginkgo - a Tree with Lots of Reasons to Recommend It | Butler. Osu.edu. https://butler.osu.edu/news/ginkgo-tree-lots-reasons-recommend-it

The Botanic Garden of Smith College. (2025). Smith College Special Collections. https://findingaids.smith.edu/agents/corporate_entities/1327

Why Aren’t the Ginkgo Leaves Yellow This Year? - Northern Gardener. (2018, October 23). Northern Gardener. https://northerngardener.org/why-arent-the-ginkgo-leaves-yellow-this-year/