2024 Best Biodiversity Award: The Ginkgo Tree

Older than the dinosaurs and known to have withstood Hiroshima, the Ginkgo tree is one hardy tree. At Arneson Acres Park, the City of Edina has its own grove of six Ginkgo trees planted in honor of Edina’s centennial in 1988.

Although these trees are already close to 40 years old, they’re still relatively young, as some of the oldest Ginkgo trees can live to be over 3,500 years old—the oldest species of tree in the world.

Gingko Tree at Arneson Acres Park

With no known disease or pests to harm the Ginkgo tree, they can easily thrive on their own.

“Ginkgo trees are salt resistant and drought resistant, so they don’t need as much care. I’ve never had an issue with them,” said City Forester Luther Overholt.

For their longevity and resilience, Arneson Park’s Ginkgo trees were awarded the “Best Biodiversity Award” as part of the Energy & Environment Commission’s 2024 Tree Recognition campaign that aims to raise awareness about the importance of trees and promote good tree care and health.

Edina resident Dianne Plunkett Latham nominated the Ginkgo tree grove for the Biodiversity Award since they are the oldest living tree species on Earth and have remained almost unchanged for millions of years.

Dianne Plunkett Latham in front of a Gingko tree at Arneson Acres Park Dianne Plunkett Latham standing in front of a Gingko Tree at Arneson Acres Park“The habitat it once thrived in tens of thousands of years ago doesn’t exist today. It knew the dinosaurs. Even the atomic bomb can’t kill a Ginkgo tree,” said Plunkett Latham. “There’s no reason it can’t live forever.”

Ginkgo tree’s impressive longevity isn’t their only unique feature. Their distinct fan-shaped leaves, which turn from green to yellow in the fall, make them easily recognizable. Oftentimes, though, these colorful leaves are only short-lived, as they all drop after the first frost.

“Ginkgo trees are the best indicators of our first hard frost in Minnesota, because all of their leaves fall out at once,” said Overholt.

Interested in plants since she was a child, Plunkett Latham planted her own Ginkgo tree from a seedling that’s now 28 years old. Due to early frosts though, she’s only experienced the fall colors a few times over the years.

“Their leaves are very beautiful, saffron yellow, and they don’t all turn color at the same time,” said Plunkett Latham. “With global warming, I hope I’ll get to enjoy them this year.”

If you have a special tree in your life, you can nominate it for the 2025 Tree Recognition Campaign now through Oct. 15 using the Tree Nomination Form.

“Edina has many excellent trees, so it’s good for residents to know where to find them. There are so many different kinds of trees to recognize in Edina that we’re barely scratching the surface,” said Plunkett Latham.