60 



ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 51 



Fig. 59.— The hardy, 

 slow-growing ginkgo or 

 maidenhair tree has 

 relatively few but stur- 

 dy branches and oddly 

 fan-shaped, leathery 

 leaves (inset). 



five on short spurs. They turn yellow to gold in the fall. The 

 male and female flowers are borne on separate trees, the male 

 flowers in loose catkins. The yellowish, oval, ill-smelling fruit is 

 1 inch in diameter and contains an angular, creamy-white, thin- 

 shelled nut. In the nut is a sweet, edible kernel. To avoid the dis- 

 agreeable odor of the fruit, only male trees should be planted. 

 The gray, rough bark is deeply fissured, distinctive, and pic- 

 turesque. Ginkgo is exceptionally free of diseases and insect 

 pests. 



Goldenrain Tree 



Goldenrain tree (Koelreuter^ia pamculata) , also called var- 

 nish tree, China tree, and pride-of-India, was introduced into 

 the United States from eastern Asia in 1763. This low, wide- 

 spreading, round-headed tree (Fig. 60), with sparingly contorted 

 branches and a crooked trunk, reaches a height of 30 feet and 

 has a branch spread of 30-40 feet. It is recommended for orna- 

 mental plantings in the southern two-thirds of the state. This 

 drought-resistant tree prefers an alkaline soil but grows satis- 

 factorily in most soils. It grows best in sunny locations. 



