How do male and female Ginkgo biloba trees differ?

The Ginkgo biloba tree is strictly dioecious, meaning that male and female reproductive structures are produced on separate individual trees. The primary differences between them are the specific structures they bear and the resulting products of their reproductive cycles:123

• Male Trees: These trees produce pollen-forming structures known as microstrobili. These are loose, pendulous, catkinlike structures that emerge from spur branches in the spring. They contain microsporangia that release pollen, which is then carried by the wind to female trees.23
• Female Trees: These trees produce ovules, which also arise on spur branches. Each ovule-bearing structure typically consists of a stalk that holds two or more erect ovules. Once fertilized, these ovules develop into yellowish, plumlike seeds. The seeds consist of a hard inner nutlike portion surrounded by a fleshy outer layer that, upon decay, emits a foul odor similar to rancid butter due to the presence of butyric acid.23

Because of the disagreeable smell and the potential for the fallen fruit to create a slipping hazard, female trees are generally less popular for ornamental garden planting.3