8. Ginkgo biloba
There’s a phrase among tree-folk that goes “Ginkgoes may stinko, but they almost went extinct.” This non-native tree was thought to be extinct because only fossils of the tree were found in America. But a living tree was discovered in China in the 1700s, and planting samples made their way to the American continent. Today, it is one of the most commonly planted street trees in part because it is drought and pollution-tolerant.
“But not the females — they produce a fruit that is very pungent, so much so that people will avoid walking underneath the stink.” No worries, though. The Inwood Hill Park Ginkgo is male. There’s a nut inside the tree’s fruit that is fairly tasty. “But you have to get through the stinky flesh first,” Baisley says.
Coordinates: 40°52’16.8″N 73°55’39.0″W