A Beautiful Tree And One Nasty Weed

I was at Finch Arboretum the other day, soaking in the beauty of the surroundings when I happened on the ginkgo trees. It reminded me that some of the plant species we see every day are amazingly old. The ginkgo tree and the horsetail weed are two such ancient plants.

Let’s take a close look at these historical specimens.

One of the best places to see a petrified ginkgo forest is just east of Vantage, off Interstate 90. Or so the sign says. On every trip to or from Seattle, I comment to Jim how nice it would be to drive through this petrified forest. Incredibly, he always seems to be driving when we pass this area and always seems “to be in the wrong lane to turn off.”

Someday, I’ll be driving. It will be then that we’ll see the ancient remains of these handsome trees. How old they are, I am not sure since we’ve never been to the forest. But I do know that in some areas of the world, ginkgos date as far back as 150 million years. At one time, this tree was native to North America, but now its native habitat is Eastern China.

The ginkgo tree is not only beautiful, but also quite distinctive. We don’t often run across it in our urban forests, which is a shame. I suppose one reason is that it is known as a very slow grower. Still, within 10 years or so after planting, we could have an established tree, 10 to 15 feet, complete with branches strong enough to hold a flock of birds and a nest or two.

The leaves resemble two- to three-inch-wide fans of bright green. If you touch them, they feel like soft leather. They are found either in clusters of three to five or alternating on long shoots. If they aren’t hit by extreme cold, the fall color is delicious. The soft yellow is splendid when set against evergreens and the other rich, earth tones of fall.

Predicting the eventual height of these trees can be a bit difficult. Depending upon their location, water and the makeup of the plant itself, ginkgos can reach heights of 50 to 100 feet. They usually start out pyramidal in shape, but as they age, they, too, become susceptible to the proverbial mid-life spread and tend to grow wide.

Nothing seems to bother these fellows. They will tolerate just about any conditions. They aren’t picky about soil, pH, moisture, salt, heat or pollutants. Even disease and pests find the ginkgo unappetizing.

Though there are a number of cultivars to choose from, most nurseries only carry a few plants. Always try to purchase a male tree. Female plants produce a fleshy covered seed that is messy and quite smelly.

I have always wanted one of these outstanding trees in the garden, and I have just the place for it. Right on the edge of our retired baseball field.

At the other end of the plant life spectrum is a nasty weed called horsetail. It, too, seems to date to the beginning of time. Unlike the ginkgo, this plant I already have, and definitely do not want!

There are two types of horsetail: field horsetail and smooth scouringrush. Both are tenacious perennials with roots that go to the other end of the world and back. Smooth scouringrush or joint grass has tall - up to 1-foot - stems that are jointed and lobbed. Field horsetail is shorter and feathery. It produces whorls of soft branches at each node.

Both of these invaders are very difficult to eradicate once they take hold. Their roots travel deep into the soil as well as horizontal. Every time you pull a plant, you can bet dozens more will spring up.

Clean up the area as best you can of the horsetail. Follow with an application of the pre-emergent Caseron. This seems to help retard new plant growth. However, Caseron should only be used around woody plants. ALWAYS read the label carefully as to plants that it can be used near and soil requirements. Good luck.

Saturday, the Finch Arboretum will host its annual Fall Leaf Festival from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is an event for the entire family. There will be all kinds of activities including a demonstration on creating compost. Spokane County residents who complete each step of the compost demonstration may take home a new plastic bin. Come, enjoy the magnificent fall spendor of the Arboretum. Don’t forget to take in the ginkgo display there. It’s outstanding.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Phyllis Stephens The Spokesman-Review