Ginkgo is familiar to many people from the medical and pharmaceutical industries. Means made from it are supposed to help the memory on the jumps. The positively effective ingredients are also obtained from the leaves, but in isolated form.

Ginkgo leaves contain healing substances

What do ginkgo leaves look like?

The leaves of a ginkgo tree are unmistakable but also very individual. As the trivial name fan leaf tree suggests, the leaves are fan-shaped. They have long stalks and sit individually on the long shoots or in clusters on the short shoots. In winter the ginkgo is bare.

In spring, the hardy ginkgo sprout fresh green leaves again. Some varieties also have variegated or striped leaves. The foliage only appears after the rather inconspicuous flowers. In autumn the foliage turns bright yellow before falling again.

Are the leaves safe to eat?

Even if the ginkgo is known as a medicinal plant, you should prevent your children from consuming the leaves in large quantities. In addition to pharmaceutically usable flavonoids, they also contain other substances such as alicyclic acids, which can trigger allergies in sensitive people, and larger amounts can even lead to symptoms of poisoning. The seeds, on the other hand, are often used as a spice in Asia.

What happens if you eat too much ginkgo leaves?

Excessive consumption can cause allergic reactions and gastrointestinal problems. The severity of the symptoms depends on the content of the ingredients and the individual sensitivity. The leaves are therefore not suitable for medical self-treatment.

The ginkgo leaf in brief:

  • very striking appearance
  • each leaf individually shaped
  • usually fan-shaped and sinuate
  • Colour: mostly green, with some varieties also variegated
  • Autumn colour: bright yellow
  • falls off in late autumn or winter
  • edible in small amounts
  • can cause allergies and/or poisoning

tips

If you want to use ginkgo to help your memory perform better, it is best to use a drug from the pharmacy. The leaves also contain substances that can cause allergies or, in larger quantities, poisoning.

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Vegetable garden