San Rafael’s Maidenhair

Each autumn, maidenhair coifs the streets of San Rafael with bright yellow.

The maidenhair of which we speak are the gingko biloba trees, a good choice to be planted along city streets, not just for their dazzling autumn color, but also because the trees don’t uproot sidewalks and roadways.

Gingko biloba is called a “living fossil,” as it is one of the world’s oldest living species, dating back 270 million years.

Extracts from the gingko are often associated with curing memory loss and sorts of ailments from dementia to Alzheimer’s disease to altitude sickness. Though, it’s never been established, scientifically, that they can do any of this.

And, while gingko seeds are sometimes found in Asian cooking, eaten in large quantities they can be hazardous.

Perhaps someday we will find beneficial uses for the gingko biloba beyond their beauty, though in the first two weeks of November they provide lovely color and form along the streets of San Rafael.

San Rafael – Near Peak (50-75%) – Maidenhair have coiffed the streets of San Rafael. GO NOW!