The difference between male and female ginkgo trees is mainly reflected in the following aspects:- Flowers: The flowers of ginkgo trees are very inconspicuous and generally bloom in spring. The flowers of the male tree are clusters of soft inflorescences, like gherkins, hanging from the branches; The flowers of the female tree are two by two, split fruit flowers, like matchsticks, that grow on the branches. - Fruit: The fruit of the ginkgo tree is the seed of a gymnosperm plant covered with a fleshy outer skin called ginkgo seed. Only female trees bear fruit and need fertilization to form. Male trees do not bear fruit and do not need to be fertilized. - Smell: The fruit of the ginkgo tree falls off when ripe, and the outer skin rots, giving off an unpleasant stench, like rotten eggs. This is because the outer skin contains an organic acid called butyric acid, which breaks down in the air and produces odors. The male tree does not have this smell because it has no fruit. - Growth: There are also certain differences in the growth rate and morphology of ginkgo trees. In general, male trees grow faster than female trees, with straighter trunks and rounded crowns; Female trees grow more slowly than male trees, with thicker trunks and flattened crowns.
Identification Methods of Ginkgo Trees There are several ways to identify males and females of Ginkgo trees:- Observation of flowers: This is the most direct and accurate method, as long as the flowers of the ginkgo tree are observed in the spring, you can distinguish between male and female. The flowers of the male tree are clusters of soft inflorescences, and the flowers of the female tree are two or two split fruit flowers. - Fruit Observation: This is the easiest and most commonly used method to distinguish between male and female by observing the fruit of a ginkgo tree in autumn. The fruits of the female tree are white fruits, while the male trees have no fruits. - Smell: This is the easiest and most intuitive way to distinguish between male and female by smelling the ginkgo tree in autumn. The fruit of the female tree gives off a rotten egg smell, which the male tree does not have. - Observe the leaves: This is the most detailed and subtle way to distinguish between male and female by looking at the leaves of a ginkgo tree in any season. The leaf edges of female trees have wavy notches, while the leaf edges of male trees are smoother.