Red Ginkgo Forest
encaustic by Edie Morton
This painting resides in the collection of The Fulton County Arts Council.
I have been working with plant and animal imagery for as long as I can remember. A few years ago I began to work more specifically with the symbology, medicine or healing that comes with certain plants and animals. Two years ago one of the persistant images was the Ginkgo leaf. I collected two garbage bags full of fallen Ginkgo leaves and poured them on my living room floor creating a beautiful blanket of golden yellow. Then I pressed hundreds of them to use and stored the rest in my freezer along with my feather collection.
The Ginkgo Tree is a mystical and healing species with leaf fossils dating back to 270 million years ago. That is one strong species. It has built in resistance to diseases, insects, air pollution, fire and radioactive radiation. A 3,000 year-old ginkgo has been reported in Shandong province in China. So they do deserve their symbology of longevity.
"The Ginkgo tree is a phenomenon, an object of veneration, a sacred tree of the East, a symbol of unity of opposites, by some seen as a symbol of changelessness, possessing miraculous power, bearer of hope and of the immeasurable past, a symbol of love. Because of all its properties it is associated with longevity. It may be the oldest living seed plant. "
"The Ginkgo is also thought to protect against fire and therefore it is still planted near temples. During the great fire after the earthquake in Tokyo in 1923 many Ginkgo trees survived while other trees died. A temple was saved because of the many Ginkgos that surrounded it. The bark and leaves are thought to secrete a sap that acts as a fire retardant. "
Ginkgo is the most popular healing herb used in Germany and highly popular in North America.
Why Do People Use Ginkgo?
To improve mental function
Alzheimer's disease
Age-related memory loss
Macular degeneration
Sexual dysfunction
To enhance blood circulation
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