Tree id anyone? Ken L, Vagabond?

[Martin56]

OK, here's a fun one.

I'm trying to get an ID on what my parents always refer to as "the dirty tree".

It's a smallish tree with silver grey leaves. The leaves are simple ovals with notched edges and about now, the floor under them is covered in a thick layer of fallen catkin like flowers.

Maybe your Mam & Dad would prefer to keep their Mystery re that one Ken

 

Sorry mate - just couldn't resist that.

Edited May 26, 2018 by Martin56

[Ken L]

After posing, I decided to track a couple down, have a proper look and look it up.

Looks like the notched leaves were a brain fart on my part and I'm almost certain it's a sallow or goat willow.

[Phone]

Ken,

 

Bright yellow in the fall? Could be one of several Ginko.

 

Phone

[Ken L]

Ken,

 

Bright yellow in the fall? Could be one of several Ginko.

 

Phone

Ginko's are not common trees hereabouts and as far as I know, there's only one extant species which is native to China.

The one that I know of is a fine specimen in the grounds of the sailing club at Brookvale Park in Erdington.

[corydoras]

Ken,

 

Bright yellow in the fall? Could be one of several Ginko.

 

Phone

 

There is only ONE. Ginkgo biloba.

Ginko's are not common trees hereabouts and as far as I know, there's only one extant species which is native to China.

The one that I know of is a fine specimen in the grounds of the sailing club at Brookvale Park in Erdington.

The only one I have seen is in the Jardin des Plantes in Caen. There is an old joke in horticultural circles about planting a Ginkgo biloba in your garden then claiming to have the National Collection of Ginkgo,

Edited May 27, 2018 by corydoras

[Phone]

All,

 

Hummm? are they male and female? They've become quite common on this side of the pond. Maybe soil conditions make them look different one from the other. I do remember that there is something about being prehistoric and blah blah blah. You guys are probably correct.

 

Ken's description leaves a little to be desired Well left a little to be desired.

 

Phone

[Ken L]

"are they male and female?"
Yep.
By all accounts the males stink.

 

Edit: Oops! Got that wrong. It's the females that stink. The males have a reputation for upsetting people who are prone to allergies.

Edited May 27, 2018 by Ken L

[chesters1]

 

There is only ONE. Ginkgo biloba.

The only one I have seen is in the Jardin des Plantes in Caen. There is an old joke in horticultural circles about planting a Ginkgo biloba in your garden then claiming to have the National Collection of Ginkgo,

So rare you can buy them at nurseries ,like everything else theres fads ,in the 60's it was pampas (the swingers invitation) the monkey puzzle trees ,then new zealand flax and a hole host of useless plants including leylandii which should be banned ,now ginko seems to be in vogue

I am sure we found one at wisley for a huge price and planted at crooksbury house in the late 80's but i planted so many strange ones i cannot remember and having left in 95 its either dead or big ,i must try and get a look at my old garden

I remember coming back with a lorry (literally) full of camelias and seeing a trail of petals coming out of the back ,on unloading there were few left!

One of my favourite trees is the handkerchief tree

My gardening at home now is buying up seed packets at the end of the season and opening them up into a bowl and chucking them in the beds ,if they take fine ,they wonk get a sip of water any plant that needs it really shouldnt be growing here

Edited May 27, 2018 by chesters1

[corydoras]

So rare you can buy them at nurseries ,like everything else theres fads ,in the 60's it was pampas (the swingers invitation) the monkey puzzle trees ,then new zealand flax and a hole host of useless plants including leylandii which should be banned ,now ginko seems to be in vogue

I am sure we found one at wisley for a huge price and planted at crooksbury house in the late 80's but i planted so many strange ones i cannot remember and having left in 95 its either dead or big ,i must try and get a look at my old garden

I remember coming back with a lorry (literally) full of camelias and seeing a trail of petals coming out of the back ,on unloading there were few left!

One of my favourite trees is the handkerchief tree

My gardening at home now is buying up seed packets at the end of the season and opening them up into a bowl and chucking them in the beds ,if they take fine ,they wonk get a sip of water any plant that needs it really shouldnt be growing here

Who said anything about rarity?

[chesters1]

Going by the statement "the only one i have seen"