Image Gallery
Known for its fan-shaped leaves that turn from bright green in the summer to bright yellow in the fall, the ginkgo's earliest leaf fossils date back 270 million years. The ginkgo drops its leaves at the same time creating a solid yellow carpet under the tree.
There are six original ginkgo trees still living on the U.S. Capitol campus today.
About the Olmsted Originals
Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted's 1874 General Plan for the U.S. Capitol Grounds sought to create a setting to accentuate the monumentality of the Capitol Building. Approximately 45 of Olmsted's trees remain today, having endured more than a century of urban life on the front stage of American democracy.
Each tree has its own unique features and preservation challenges, and the Architect of the Capitol's arborists employ industry best management practices to ensure these trees are given the very best care to remain safely in the landscape for current and future generations to enjoy.