November is autumn in Texas and the leaves are finally starting to turn -- some of them anyway. Many varieties of Southern trees will just go directly from green to brown and fall without ever hitting any of the vibrant shades of yellow, gold, orange, red and crimson that one will see in the North.
But the ginkgo puts on a stunning display every year, regardless of climate. The fall leaves range from cheery lemon yellow to luscious gold, and stand out in vibrant contrast to the intense blue of the November sky.
Now is the perfect time of year to harvest the leaves for medicinal herbal teas. Though ginkgo is most often harvested green (because you get a greater yield if you do so), it is generally considered that the medicinal qualities are concentrated and enhanced once the leaves turn.
Furthermore, when the leaves go golden, they have lost most of their chlorophyl, and are no longer benefiting the tree by making sugars to store in the roots for winter.
So by waiting to harvest till fall, you get a more concentrated herb, and the tree maximizes its survival and growth. A win-win for everyone!
Oh and by the way, if you would like to learn more about ginkgo, including it's history, how to identify it, and how to use the "nuts" please check out my post here!
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| Always pluck leaves from the tree, don't harvest from the ground. |
How to harvest ginkgo leaves -- DON'T pick them off the ground
You do want to take the golden leaves from the tree, not fallen from the ground. Once they fall, there is a greater chance of them becoming contaminated with potentially dangerous terrestrial molds that shouldn't be ingested. Cooking/boiling doesn't always remove the dangers these molds can pose.It's perfectly safe to use the leaves on the ground for soaps, salves and crafts.
Regardless of how you plan to use the leaves, make sure to inspect them for signs of fungal infection and insect larva or eggs.
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| Always inspect your leaves for signs of insect or fungal contamination |
As a natural medicine
Ginkgo leaves are even more important to natural medicines than the ginkgo nut. Ginkgo extracts are actually made from the leaves, not the nuts, particularly the golden leaves in autumn.
Unfortunately, clinical trails to see if ginkgo helps with memory, dementia, and/or Alzheimer's have been mixed or conflicted in results.
In addition to memory and brain health, Eastern medicine has used the extract of ginkgo for centuries. There, it's advocated for a wide range of ailments, including:
- Anxiety and depression, including seasonal affective disorder.
- Vision health, including diabetes-related vision problems
- PMS symtoms
- Libido problems and sexual disfunction, at least in men. Use of ginkgo as a treatment for sexual issues in women remains controversial.
- Respiratory ailments, including asthma
- Immune health and recovery of chemotherapy patients
- Circulatory health - which also may help with leg an extremity pain and/or tingling
- Brain health and memory function
- Reducing the symptoms of Schizophrenia
- Free-radical fighting antioxident
- Energy enhancement and stimulant (without caffeine)
A note of caution:
Because ginkgo can increase blood flow, it's advised that you avoid ginkgo if you have a bleeding disorder, are pregnant or looking to become pregnant, or are on blood thinning medicines.
There are other medicines that may interact, if you are on any medication or have health issues, check with your doctor before you try ginkgo.
Avoid taking ginkgo when you are breastfeeding, as it may pass into your milk and trigger an allergic reaction for the baby.
The first time you try ginkgo tea, have only a little bit to make sure you're not allergic.
How I use ginkgo tea
I have personally found ginkgo tea to be effective against headaches, especially tension headaches, "vision-based headaches (like looking at a screen too long), and ophthalmic migraines (but sadly not full migraines).
I also find it to be a very mild stimulant, like a weaker version of ginseng.
And honestly, it does wonders against mensural cramps, equal in it's effectiveness at reducing pain to a couple of extra-strength ibuprofen. However, I don't find the effects to last as long as over the counter medicines. In my experience, the tea's effectiveness starts to wear off after about 40-60 minutes after I drink it.
Since ginkgo tea isn't something you should be drinking constantly, I don't find it to be something I can
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| The gorgeous yellow color of the dried tea is almost too vibrant to be believed |
How to make golden ginkgo leaf tea
The most common way to benefit from the natural health benefits of gingko biloba is to use the golden autumnal leaves as a tea. This is best done with dried leaves. Depending on the size of the holes in your infuser, you might want to remove the stems before you dry the ginkgo. If the holes are large enough in size, the stems can come out into the tea. They are easier to remove when the leave is fresh.
You definitely want to increase the surface area, so the water absorbs all of the benefit of the leaves. For dried leaves, this is best done by breaking up the leaf, either by hand, or with a mortar and pestle. If you're feeling really ambitious, dried leaves can be ground in a coffee or spice grinder, this will maximize your yield.
I generally use about a teaspoon in my infuser and let it steep in very hot water, just under boiling, for about a minute to a minute and a half.
You can also mix it in with green tea, or with herbal tea blends. Some that I recommend giving a try: hibiscus, rose hip, any mint tea, ginger. Most any flavor will work, but the flavor of the ginkgo tends to get masked. If you really like the ginkgo flavor, just drink it on it's own.
