Common Names: Ginkgo, Maidenhair Tree, Silver Apricot
Element: Air
Phase of the Moon: Waxing Moon
Zodiac Signs: Embody the energies of Gemini, Aquarius, and Libra. Acts as a steadying healer for Pisces, Virgo, and Sagittarius.
Planets: Mercury, Uranus
Tarot Cards: 🌬 The Fool (new beginnings, potential, stepping into the unknown)
🌿 Ace of Swords (clarity, sharpness of mind)
🌙 The Star (hope, regeneration)
⚡ Knight of Swords (swift thought, mental agility)
Habitat: Native to China, Ginkgo trees are among the oldest living tree species on Earth, thriving in temperate regions across the world. Often found in city parks, temple grounds, and ancient gardens, resilient even in polluted environments.
Flavour: Mildly bitter, astringent
Temperature: Neutral to slightly warming
Humidity: Dry
Tissue Condition: Stagnation, poor circulation, cold
Components: Flavonoids, terpenoids (ginkgolides, bilobalide), organic acids, tannins
Actions: Circulatory stimulant, antioxidant, neuroprotective, vasodilator, anti-inflammatory, anti-platelet aggregation, cognitive enhancer
Medicinal Applications: Ginkgo biloba is often called a tree of memory and resilience — a living link to ancient Earth. The leaves have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to support the brain, lungs, and circulation.
🌿 Cognitive support — Ginkgo enhances blood flow to the brain, helping improve memory, focus, and mental clarity. Especially valuable for age-related cognitive decline, brain fog, and mental fatigue.
🌿 Circulation — Traditionally used to promote healthy blood flow, Ginkgo supports peripheral circulation, helpful in cold extremities, tinnitus, and intermittent claudication (leg pain from poor blood flow).
🌿 Antioxidant shield — The rich flavonoids in Ginkgo help protect nerve cells and blood vessels from oxidative stress and free-radical damage.
🌿 Lung & respiratory health — In traditional uses, Ginkgo is seen as a lung tonic, aiding conditions of wheezing or constricted breathing.
I find Ginkgo well-suited to modern minds overwhelmed by constant information, helping create space for clarity, focus, and grounded thought. Its energy is that of enduring strength — a plant that has seen the rise and fall of empires, offering us the gift of perspective and steady presence.
Spiritual Uses: Ginkgo is a symbol of longevity, endurance, and spiritual clarity. Often planted at temples as a guardian of sacred spaces, it reminds us of the power of patience and quiet observation.
🌿 Carry Ginkgo leaves in charms for mental clarity during study, business, or big life decisions.
🌿 Use in meditation spaces to promote stillness and connection to ancient wisdom.
🌿 Place on altars as a tribute to ancestors, resilience, and the eternal cycles of life.
Those drawn to Ginkgo may be seekers of wisdom, individuals navigating times of transition, or those longing to root themselves amid life’s chaos.
Contraindications: ⚠ May increase risk of bleeding — use caution with blood-thinning medications.
⚠ Not recommended before surgery.
⚠ Rarely causes mild headaches or digestive upset in sensitive individuals.
Dose: 🌼 Tea: 1 teaspoon dried leaf per cup, steep 10 min, 1–2x daily
🌼 Tincture: 10–40 drops of 1:5 extract in 25% alcohol, up to 2x daily
🌼 Standardized extract (for cognitive use): 120–240 mg per day in divided doses
💫 Ginkgo teaches us to stand tall, adapt with grace, and trust the slow, steady work of time. It offers clarity where the mind is clouded and courage where memory fades.