Strolling in my neighborhood the other day, I saw two trees with autumn foliage that I thought would have made the most compelling combination had they been planted side by side. One was a ginkgo tree ...

Ginkgo trees are unlike any other tree on Earth, the lone member of the Ginkgoaceae taxonomic family. They grow fan-shaped leaves, and, in the fall, produce pungent seeds. Photograph by De Agostini, ...