A popular non-native tree in Toronto is causing issues for residents in the area.
Alan Page and his wife have lived in their Leslieville home for over 20 years, located near Jones Avenue and Gerrard Street E., with a ginkgo tree in their backyard being a long-standing feature of their property.
However, the tree has recently begun producing sticky and smelly fruit every fall, which tends to get tracked into the house, creating a nuisance, as shared by Page with CBC Toronto.
Page described the residue as difficult to remove, almost like glue, and mentioned that it also attracts flying insects like bees and wasps, raising concerns among residents.
The foul odor emitted by the female ginkgo tree’s fruit, likened to a mix of dog feces and vomit by experts and homeowners, has prompted requests to city councillors for permission to remove the trees, despite their overall good health.
Although Page sought approval to have the tree removed earlier this year, the city forestry staff denied his request.
The appeal is scheduled for Thursday before the Toronto and East York Community Council, but city staff are advising against granting the appeal.
Kim Statham, the director of Toronto’s Urban Forestry branch, stated in a report dated April 9 that the ginkgo tree at Myrtle Avenue is a valuable asset to the urban forest, providing various benefits to the property owner and the local community, and therefore should not be removed.
‘One of the worst things you can imagine’
Coun. Josh Matlow recently persuaded the council to direct forestry staff to explore innovative solutions to assist homeowners seeking to eliminate the trees and their unpleasant fruit, which falls to the ground every October.
Matlow described the fruit of the ginkgo tree as having an extremely unpleasant smell, stating it to be one of the worst odors imaginable.
He further mentioned that many residents have expressed genuine concerns about the impact on their quality of life due to these trees.
Currently, Toronto has approximately 11.5 million trees, with arborist Marc Ambeau estimating that there are “thousands” of ginkgos among them. These trees began appearing in Toronto from China decades ago, with female trees now reaching maturity, leading to the introduction of ginkgo fruit to homeowners.
Presently, homeowners require city permits to remove any tree with a diameter exceeding 30 cm, even on private property, with potential fines of up to $100,000 for bylaw violations.
These stringent regulations form part of ongoing efforts to increase the city’s tree canopy to 40% coverage by 2050, currently estimated at around 30% as per city records.
Matlow expressed hope that while his motion calls for staff to propose solutions by 2027, immediate adjustments to tree removal rules concerning ginkgos would be considered.