It’s not like ginkgo leaves grow on trees

December 15, 2022 7:15 AM

I started a project using ginkgo leaves. Sadly, my town did all the leaf blowing and there don’t seem to be any left. I know herbal shops and craft shops sell whole leaves, but I don’t want to pay so much when there are probably plenty lying around somewhere. What part of the US is likely to still have fallen ones so I can ask friends? Can you think of any other creative way? I can press and dry myself.
posted by mermaidcafe to Grab Bag (8 answers total)

Best answer: Here in IL there were a few ginkgo leaves still on trees a few weeks ago but most did their big drop earlier. Phenology is going to skew later further south. The National Phenology Network usually haps maps for fall color by date but I'm not seeing one for this year. This map (using past NPN data I think) shows that the gulf coast will be your best bet.
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:35 AM on December 15, 2022

Best answer: Just did some raking up of ginkgo leaves yesterday at work in NYC.
posted by sciencegeek at 9:09 AM on December 15, 2022 [1 favorite]

Can you check out a park or forest preserve where there still might be leaves on the ground where you are?
posted by sarajane at 9:43 AM on December 15, 2022 [1 favorite]

You can probably post something on Fiverr/TaskRabbit or Facebook Marketplace/Craiglist specific to the areas mentioned above, some random person might send you a big bundle for shipping costs + $20 for their time
posted by leemleem at 10:34 AM on December 15, 2022

Lots of leaves on the ground, and a few still in the trees, here around Raleigh NC. I just picked some up a couple of days ago (oak, not ginkgo).

FYI there are definitely a couple of ginkgo trees on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, across the street from the psychology building -- just in case it's easy for you to find a UNC student. (or you could check iNaturalist).

Actually, you could search iNaturalist for ginkgo photos near your friends, scan photos in a particular region looking for immediately pre-leaf drop states (yellow leaves, I guess) and post-drop without snow, then look at the dates for the photos to figure out which areas are most likely to have what you need.
posted by amtho at 10:56 AM on December 15, 2022

I see many many many gingko leaves on walks in the streets of Brooklyn. Most have recently fallen, but there may be some left on the trees. All yellow.
posted by benbenson at 11:46 AM on December 15, 2022

Do you know what your town does with the bagged leaves? If the leaves are not destined for a secondary market, they don't make great mulch contenders. Maybe contact specific park and garden recycling departments - Gingko in Virginia, Missouri, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Iowa, Florida; one US map
posted by Iris Gambol at 2:45 PM on December 15, 2022

Ask at nurseries or larger garden centers, but not garden departments of big box stores. Many sell the trees for landscaping; gingkos are somewhat popular for fall color in my locale (North Florida) so nurseries carry them.
posted by TimHare at 8:16 PM on December 15, 2022 [1 favorite]