Gingko leaves

Yellow Ginkgo Leaves - Loretto Motherhouse - Marion County, KY

The ginkgo tree is a survivor of a group of ancient plants.  The leaves of the ginkgo tree often have a deep notch in the margin of the leaf.  In the fall the leaves turn from green to a brilliant yellow. Each leaf grows from a long shoot.  The shoots are clustered on side shoots.  Because of the tree structure the leaves of the ginkgo fall all at once.  Complete leaf fall may occur in one to three hours.  The leaves in this photograph began falling after ten in the morning.   The amount on the ground around the tree accumulated in about two hours.