Stinky, smelly gingko biloba fruit: What to do?
Maria Luna and Mark Bornfeld
offer a solution. I'm talking about a female ginkgo biloba tree that
drops its fruit all over the sidewalk in front of my house. The tree is
pretty, but that doesn't make up for the mess and smell, not to mention
the hazard to passers-by who may slip and fall on the slick pulpy
sidewalk. This is a VERY prolific tree, much more so than others in the
neighborhood.
My natural reflex was to remove the tree, but the local authority (the
New York City Dept. of Parks and Recreation, Forestry Division) has
strict rules concerning the removal of trees on a public right of way
(my sidewalk). A tree may only (lawfully) be removed if it is totally
dead or if it poses a hazard to PROPERTY. When asked if the tree would
qualify for removal if it poses a threat to human life, a Parks Dept.
supervisor answered with a succinct "No". The hazard of a slick sidewalk
resulting from mashed ginkgo fruit pulp would be legally handled the
same way the hazard of dangerous ice or snow would be handled: the
homeowner has the responsibility to remove any hazardous condition, or
face any liability consequences.
So, I have been spending approximately 3 hours per week peeling the
adherent mess from the sidewalk with rubber gloves (the residue is not
amenable to sweeping or raking) for the past month. It appears that tree
removal is not an option. Can anyone out there suggest a solution? Is
there a chemical agent/hormone that can prevent the tree from fruiting?
HELP!
--Mark Bornfeld
Brooklyn
--
Maria Luna P.T. and Mark Bornfeld D.D.S.
http://pw1.netcom.com/~bobsey/dentist.html
Brooklyn, NY 718-258-5001
Rev Chuck
Wendy B G
>adherent mess from the sidewalk with rubber gloves (the residue is not
>amenable to sweeping or raking) for the past month.
Can't help with ginko fertility. However, you might want to buy a roll of
paper, tape it onto your sidewalk, and pick it up with the mess...would save
you some effort.
Wendy
Wilmington, DE (ex-Brooklyn)
David Hershey
recommendations. In a 1977 study in California, Maleic hydrazide
(tradename Royal Slo-Gro) was sprayed two weeks apart during "bloom" on
both male and female trees and greatly reduced "fruit" set. The
concentration was 5000 parts per million (2 quarts per 100 gallons).
Surrounding plants were not harmed.
Technically, ginkgos have cones rather than flowers and seeds rather
than fruits. The fleshy, messy part is the seed coat. The seeds are
considered a delicacy in some Asian countries.
David Hershey
Maria Luna and Mark Bornfeld wrote:
>
> I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem; perhaps someone can
> offer a solution. I'm talking about a female ginkgo biloba tree that
> drops its fruit all over the sidewalk in front of my house. The tree is
> pretty, but that doesn't make up for the mess and smell, not to mention
> the hazard to passers-by who may slip and fall on the slick pulpy
> sidewalk. This is a VERY prolific tree, much more so than others in the
> neighborhood.
> So, I have been spending approximately 3 hours per week peeling the
> adherent mess from the sidewalk with rubber gloves (the residue is not
Stephen M Jankalski
gymnosperm, they are actually seeds covered with a fleshy sarcotesta.
Since the species is dioecious, typically only male trees are planted for
landscaping. Somebody goofed. I know, that's a moot point now.
With this craze for Ginkgo biloba, maybe you can get people to come and
take the stinky fruit for you. Ginkgo is supposed to improve memory. They
use the leaves in herbal medicine but you can say the "fruit" are far more
potent! Apparently, whoever was responsible for planting the trees forgot
to take Ginkgo himself!
I understand that squirrels love to eat the "fruit". I'm surprised they
have not yet helped themselves to them.
David Hershey <dh...@excite.com> wrote in article
<38153627...@excite.com>...
Ray Peterson
tree is not too polluted by its proximity to traffic!
On Mon, 25 Oct 1999 20:44:49 -0400, Maria Luna and Mark Bornfeld
<bob...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem; perhaps someone can
>offer a solution. I'm talking about a female ginkgo biloba tree that
>drops its fruit all over the sidewalk in front of my house. The tree is
>pretty, but that doesn't make up for the mess and smell, not to mention
>the hazard to passers-by who may slip and fall on the slick pulpy
>sidewalk. This is a VERY prolific tree, much more so than others in the
>neighborhood.
>
>My natural reflex was to remove the tree, but the local authority (the
>New York City Dept. of Parks and Recreation, Forestry Division) has
>strict rules concerning the removal of trees on a public right of way
>(my sidewalk). A tree may only (lawfully) be removed if it is totally
>dead or if it poses a hazard to PROPERTY. When asked if the tree would
>qualify for removal if it poses a threat to human life, a Parks Dept.
>supervisor answered with a succinct "No". The hazard of a slick sidewalk
>resulting from mashed ginkgo fruit pulp would be legally handled the
>same way the hazard of dangerous ice or snow would be handled: the
>homeowner has the responsibility to remove any hazardous condition, or
>face any liability consequences.
>
sam
There are people who want the nuts.
Kubwa Mwanamume
Richard
Gene Newcomb
I would add to sam's note. Put a little ad offering the nuts for sale (let the
buyers pick them up) in an Oriental newspaper. Experience here in the West is
that people often will not take a free offer, but will be willing to buy.
There are trees here that are visited by people every fall for their nuts
(seeds) which, when roasted or boiled (after getting rid of the smelly
exterior), have a not unpleasant, slightly resinous taste.
Gene on the campus of Oregon State University
dr-...@execpc.com
sevin during blossoming cause it causes poor setting/drop. Ingrid
Maria Luna and Mark Bornfeld <bob...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
Can anyone out there suggest a solution? Is
>there a chemical agent/hormone that can prevent the tree from fruiting?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
dr-...@execpc.com in the Frozen Tundra zone 5 sorta
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
for care of goldfish go to http://puregold.aquaria.net/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stephen M Jankalski
Maybe all the male trees should be neutered too?
They are the ones knocking her up!
Kubwa Mwanamume <Ric...@reliable-net.net> wrote in article
<s1bbh5...@corp.supernews.com>...
Don Staples
base of the tree.
Maria Luna and Mark Bornfeld wrote:
> I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem; perhaps someone can
> offer a solution. I'm talking about a female ginkgo biloba tree that
> drops its fruit all over the sidewalk in front of my house. The tree is
> pretty, but that doesn't make up for the mess and smell, not to mention
> the hazard to passers-by who may slip and fall on the slick pulpy
> sidewalk. This is a VERY prolific tree, much more so than others in the
> neighborhood.
>
> My natural reflex was to remove the tree, but the local authority (the
> New York City Dept. of Parks and Recreation, Forestry Division) has
> strict rules concerning the removal of trees on a public right of way
> (my sidewalk). A tree may only (lawfully) be removed if it is totally
> dead or if it poses a hazard to PROPERTY. When asked if the tree would
> qualify for removal if it poses a threat to human life, a Parks Dept.
> supervisor answered with a succinct "No". The hazard of a slick sidewalk
> resulting from mashed ginkgo fruit pulp would be legally handled the
> same way the hazard of dangerous ice or snow would be handled: the
> homeowner has the responsibility to remove any hazardous condition, or
> face any liability consequences.
>
> So, I have been spending approximately 3 hours per week peeling the
> adherent mess from the sidewalk with rubber gloves (the residue is not
> amenable to sweeping or raking) for the past month. It appears that tree
> removal is not an option. Can anyone out there suggest a solution? Is
> there a chemical agent/hormone that can prevent the tree from fruiting?
> HELP!
>
> --Mark Bornfeld
> Brooklyn
> --
> Maria Luna P.T. and Mark Bornfeld D.D.S.
> http://pw1.netcom.com/~bobsey/dentist.html
> Brooklyn, NY 718-258-5001
--
Don Staples
UIN 4653335
Web Offerings: http://www.livingston.net/dstaples/
For Forestry Conversation, Information, or Questions: The news groups
bionet.agroforestry and alt.forestry are available.
http://www.delphi.com/ab-forestry/messages is a commercial site that is one
of the best sites on the web for forestry information.
Jessie
>
> Put up signs offering *free* ginko nuts for the picking.
> There are people who want the nuts.
Really. This time of year, there are Asian families making
gingko pilgrimages to Riverside Park. If you go over an
introduce yourself, they'd probably be happy to come and
harvest your tree.
--
Jessie
ex-Pennsylvania, z.7
ex-New York City, z.6
now Minnesota, z.4 (brrrrr!)
entwold at att dot net
-------------------------------------
note the spamnot trap
"Thoreau never mentioned the icky little bugs." - City Boy
Steve Hinkson
deftly remove
female branches as the male part grew until I had an entirely male tree.
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/6811/gloss.htm
Steve
Drop by and see me at :
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/6811
Ashcrow Larkspurr
And just so you know, I've eaten Ginko nuts, and they taste absolutely
heavenly, not unlike roasted garlic.
Selling the fruits and and papering the sidewalk both sound credible. Of
course, if you accidently cut too close all around the sides of the tree
with a weed wacker (as in shorn off a thick layer of bark in a ring around
the tree), it will kill it, or at least severely cut down the production.
If you don't want it dead, consider peeling away a thin layer a centimeter
around (exposing the cambrium layer), then covering with bark tape.
----------
In article <3814F981...@ix.netcom.com>, Maria Luna and Mark Bornfeld
Alice Ramirez
This won't help your problem with the badly-situated tree, but the INNER
nut is edible. I have seen it for sale, canned, in ethnic markets or
supermarkets in ethnic neighborhoods here in LA. I bought a can. The
canning technique ruins the flavor/texture and they tasted like cheese.
There is a less-prolific gingko tree here on the UCLA campus that
occasionally drops fruit. I got rid of the outer fruit and tried the
inner nut, raw, and it tasted just like a pignola, and had the same
texture. Probably good roasted, if you could find a way to get rid of the
inedible outer flesh.
When you consider that this is one of the oldest tree species in existence
-- it existed during the Cretacious and, along with cycads and other
angiosperms, fed dinosaurs -- it is no wonder that it is prolific. It
must have needed to, to survive when so many other species from that era
became extinct. I hope this makes you feel a LITTLE better as you scrape
muck off your sidewalk. I hope somebody can offer a solution, a product
similar to what is used to prevent fruiting in olives.
In article <3814F981...@ix.netcom.com>, bob...@ix.netcom.com wrote:
> I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem; perhaps someone can
> offer a solution. I'm talking about a female ginkgo biloba tree that
> drops its fruit all over the sidewalk in front of my house. The tree is
> pretty, but that doesn't make up for the mess and smell, not to mention
> the hazard to passers-by who may slip and fall on the slick pulpy
> sidewalk. This is a VERY prolific tree, much more so than others in the
> neighborhood.
>
CorK
More information about the seeds can be read on my homepage about this
tree:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~kwanten/usage.htm
Is there no way you can make the city to transplant the tree to
another place or ask them to prune it heavily?
CK?
David E. Ross
>
> My natural reflex was to remove the tree, but the local authority (the
> New York City Dept. of Parks and Recreation, Forestry Division) has
> strict rules concerning the removal of trees on a public right of way
> (my sidewalk). A tree may only (lawfully) be removed if it is totally
> dead or if it poses a hazard to PROPERTY. When asked if the tree would
> qualify for removal if it poses a threat to human life, a Parks Dept.
> supervisor answered with a succinct "No". The hazard of a slick sidewalk
> resulting from mashed ginkgo fruit pulp would be legally handled the
> same way the hazard of dangerous ice or snow would be handled: the
> homeowner has the responsibility to remove any hazardous condition, or
> face any liability consequences.
Have you proposed to the city to plant a new gingko -- male this time --
at the same time you remove the old one? I know the new one would not
be as big as the old one, but a 10 gal size might be considered
sufficient mitigation.
Note that one reason gingkos are planted as street trees is that they
seem to be relatively unaffected by air pollution.
--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 19 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence
Gardening pages at <http://www.vcnet.com/~rossde/garden.html>
Beth Fleischer
Alice Ramirez wrote in message ...