This tree was planted during the sooty industrial days of Pittsburgh because of its tolerance to such conditions. A unique tree, it is one of the oldest known to man. It dates to prehistoric times and is often referred to as the “living fossil.” It was saved from extinction by Buddhist priests who preserved it in temples in Japan, China and Korea. The fruit has a unpleasant odor. It features a straight trunk and an open, pyramid-shaped crown. As the tree gets older, the crown becomes wide-spreading and irregular. The Parkway North (I-279) on Pittsburgh’s North Side is lined with young ginkgo trees.