I met this tree on a recent visit to Utrecht, Netherlands. Utrecht is a most fascinating city that was founded by the Romans 2,000 years ago. Narrow brick paved roads lead you along canals, open parks and through the city which still retains its old world charm. Utrecht was spared bombing during WWII so remains today as it use to be, unlike many European cities that had to be rebuilt. Cars are not allowed in the inner city and everyone bikes to and from. I started referring to Utrecht as the ‘medieval city of bikes’.

The University of Utrecht is one of the oldest and most prestigious in Europe. Originally founded in the heart of the old city it has largely moved to a sprawling campus outside of town.
We visited the University Museum, which is the location of the original university’s botanical garden, the observatory and one of the oldest chemistry labs ever discovered. The observatory is famous for its research to investigate the sun, solar activity and to calculate the exact time so mariners could set their clocks. Knowledge of the accurate time was necessary to plot your course using the sun and the stars. The Greenwich meridian also known as the Universal Time Meridian runs directly under the balance point of one of the telescopes.
'Medieval chemistry oven unearthed in subterranean chamber'
Outstanding in the botanical gardens is a Gingko Biloba tree which is said to be the oldest one still living outside of China. Truly a geriatric specimen at 250 years old.
This tree must have been planted as a baby in order to harvest its leaves. If you are thinking that this 250 grandparent is on its last legs, think again. These babies live to be over 2,500 years old. They did not begin to leave China until the 1700s. So relative to Gingkos in China, this one is still a baby.
Gingko Biloba
Gingko is one of the more popular memory herbs. Extracts of the leaves have been used by folks for centuries to improve blood circulation in the brain. It also contains antioxidants that neutralize dangerous free radicals. Gingko improves memory and alertness, keeping you in the know. Funny, I could not remember the tree’s name and had to Google it!
There are many plants which have been used historically as medicine. Many modern day drugs began as herbal products. A good example is Aspirin which was found in white willow bark and was the first discovered member of the class of drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Today, synthetic aspirin is one of the most widely used medications in the world.
Isn’t it amazing the relationship that we have with the plant world. Food, medicine, cosmetics, clothing and even shelter are derived from plant products. In fact, if not for the oxygen that plants emit during metabolism, we would suffocate.
Be amazed, Denny