What is this? (it's a tree stupid!)

[Feelslikefar.]

I did this backwards today. Saw the ground covered and thought it was acorns. I walked over to them, again, thinking it was acorns without ever looking up at the tree. I was hoping it was acorns. lol

Some kind of persimmon? Some time in the late 90's I realized how inadequate my skills were in identifying trees, so I bought a field guide to trees. Some day I should look at it.

 

[Native Hunter]

That's not persimmons. It's the fruit from a Ginko (Maidenhair) Tree.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Ginko biloba.

 

[Feelslikefar.]

"female trees produce seeds encased in fleshy, fruit-like cone which, at maturity in autumn, are messy and emit a noxious, foul odor upon falling to the ground and splitting open."

Later on as I was driving back to work I thought... "Did I step in dog shit?" lmao

 

[Telemark]

I made that mistake once. I knew it was a ginkgo by the leaves, but I had never seen one fruit. I went over to see if it was something deer might like to eat. I would describe the smell as old cheese and farts, and my hands smelled like it the whole ride home.

 

[ethan_holzfaller_midwest]

Pretty tree if you have just males...we had them outside the forestry school and you knew when the females were fruiting....had to sit within the inner courtyards because of the smell.