Prehistoric Food Specials

Ginko grew over most of the Earth some 200 mjillion years ago at the time dinosaurs roamed. It is the oldest surviving broadleaf tree and its beautiful all time of year with bright green fan-shaped foliage that turns a luminescent gold in fall and a stately winter branch pattern. Ginkos are tolerant of difficult soils and air pollution, making them popular as city street trees. The edible nuts are highly esteemed in Asia where they are roasted or boiled. Trees are either male or female and both are needed to harvest fruit. Both the leaves and nuts are used as herbal medicine to strengthen the memory. Hardy down to zone 4

The Monkey Puzzle tree is native to Chile along the lower slopes of the Andeas and these trees also rubbed shoulders with the dinosaurs over 200 million years ago. Its spine-like needles acted as protection from acient grazing animals now long extinct. A Monkey Puzzle tree can live for 1,000 years, especially in areas that receive heavy amounts of winter snow. Its large nuts are easy to harvest as the cone disintergrates when ripe. The seeds fall making it an excellent crop for wet, rainy coastal climants, where other nut trees rarely succeed. Hardy down to Zone 7

(2)Ginko

(2) Monkey Puzzle tree