Of maidenhair-trees or "ginkgoes," Steve Nix writes that Buddhists "revered the tree and preserved it in temple gardens. Western collectors eventually imported ginkgoes to Europe where it was very popular in large cities like London and Paris." But for the more visually-oriented, perhaps a better introduction to these interesting specimens is provided by this photo gallery of maidenhair-trees from About's Forestry Guide.

_{Photo ©2006 David Beaulieu (licensed to About.com)}