When Do Ginkgo Leaves Turn Yellow and Fall, and When Do New Leaves Grow? Recommended Famous Viewing Spots
Ginkgo, also known as the white fruit tree, the grandson tree, and the duck-foot tree, is a rare relict species from the Mesozoic era and is native to China. Ginkgo trees generally bloom in April, the leaves begin to turn yellow in October, they begin to drop their leaves in November, and only in May of the following year do tender new leaf buds begin to grow. It grows rather slowly and has an extremely long lifespan; under natural conditions it takes more than twenty years from planting to producing ginkgo nuts, and only after forty years can it bear fruit in quantity. The tree is tall and upright, with fan-shaped leaves, a straight trunk, and a graceful form; it is emerald green in spring and summer and golden in late autumn, making it an ideal tree for landscaping and street planting.
1. Gudong Town, Tengchong County, Yunnan
Best time to visit: the end of November
This is the number one ginkgo kingdom in the world. Every late autumn, yellow leaves swirl around the houses and yards, extraordinarily beautiful. The precious century-old ginkgo trees give this small village an air of simplicity and depth. You can run and play to your heart's content in this paradise, let your soul drift freely among the golden hues, and marvel at the wondrous sight of tree after tree as radiant as gold! It is located in Gudong Town, Tengchong County, Baoshan City, Yunnan Province, adjacent to famous tourist attractions such as Tengchong National Volcano Geological Park and the columnar joints. The whole village is home to more than 3,000 ancient ginkgo trees, of which more than 50 are over 500 years old. Besides the characteristics of being ancient and growing in natural continuous groves, the ginkgo here also lets you experience the unique scenery of a “village within the forest, and the forest within the trees.”
2. Nanxiong, Shaoguan, Guangdong
Best time to visit: the end of November
This place has long enjoyed the reputation of being the “hometown of ginkgo,” and late November to early December is the most beautiful time here, so it is advisable to book food and lodging a week in advance. Golden ginkgo leaves hang all over the branches. Nanxiong is the natural ginkgo growing region at the lowest latitude in China and is also a great place for photography; on holidays, why not bring a camera, invite some friends, and go see those brilliant golden ginkgo leaves. In several ancient ginkgo tree villages in Pingtian Town, Nanxiong, such as Aobei, Jiangtang, Fengwu, and Junyingzhai, dazzling golden ginkgo groves can be seen everywhere, making a unique and splendid local scenery.
3. Anlu Ginkgo Valley, Hubei
Best time to visit: the end of November
Wangyizhen Town in the west of Anlu City, Hubei, lies at the southern foot of the Dahong Mountains and is known as the “hometown of ginkgo” nationwide. The ancient ginkgo trees in Anlu Ginkgo Valley Park tower into the sky in continuous groves; it is one of the two existing naturally occurring ancient ginkgo communities in China today, and a rare natural ancient ginkgo community in the Central Plains region. It covers 60 sq km and has 48 ancient ginkgo trees over a thousand years old, 1,486 over 500 years old, and 4,368 over 100 years old; it also has 5 natural garden groves and 36 scenic spots with more than 25 ancient ginkgo trees over a thousand years old growing in continuous groves. The Qianchong ancient ginkgo community is not only rare nationwide for its sheer numbers and great age, but its trees also come in all sorts of shapes, including husband-and-wife trees, lovers' trees, offspring trees, and mother-and-child trees, making it highly worth viewing.
4. The junction of Fuyang, Lin'an, and Tonglu in Zhejiang
Best time to visit: November
Yangjia Village in Fuyang sits at the junction of the three places and is also known as Zhejiang's “hometown of ginkgo.” Starting in mid-November each year, thousands of ginkgo trees for several kilometers around turn yellow all over the hills and fields, and the countryside and wild mountains are filled with golden splendor. Tianmu Mountain, long praised as “a great tree canopy known throughout the land,” is located within Lin'an City in northwestern Zhejiang Province. Preserved in the mountain are wild ancient ginkgo trees, relict plants from the Mesozoic era, known as “living fossils.” This species has natural stands in their native state only on Tianmu Mountain anywhere in the world. The ginkgo natural sights include “five generations under one roof” and “full house of descendants,” among others.
5. Dandong Golden Avenue
Best time to visit: November
The city tree of Dandong City, Liaoning, is the ginkgo tree, and the trees standing along both sides of Liuwei Road, Jiuwei Road, and Qijing Street are all over a hundred years old. Whenever autumn is at its fullest, Dandong can be described as golden throughout the city, endlessly romantic, and enjoys the reputation of the Avenue of Golden Light. Each sturdy century-old ginkgo tree radiates vigorous vitality with its brilliant golden yellow, as if giving off the radiance of sunlight. Thick layers of leaves cover the road, thick yet soft underfoot; it is a romantic place for Dandong residents, visitors, and newlywed couples, and is a must-see.
6. Ten-Mile Ancient Ginkgo Corridor
Best time to visit: late November
The Ten-Mile Ancient Ginkgo Corridor is located in Badujie, Xiaopu Town. At present there are more than 2,700 ancient ginkgo trees over a hundred years old, 376 over 300 years old, 11 over 500 years old, and 5 over 1,000 years old. The 12.5 km-long ginkgo forest is a scenic route characterized by “originality, wildness, and rarity,” praised as “travel the whole world, and it is hard to find a grove of ancient ginkgo trees.” These ginkgo trees stretching for more than ten kilometers are like a bright stroke of yellow on a painting. Along the Ten-Mile Ginkgo Corridor, the mountain road winds and turns, with tall ginkgo trees on both sides; it is a very quiet, secluded paradise.