The ginkgo biloba, or Maidenhair tree, has been known to live for 2,000 years. In the East, it is considered a symbol of longevity, hope, resilience and peace. The tree's delicate fan-shaped leaves have been prized for their beauty, copied by artists and heralded in literature. The ginkgo is the national tree of its native China and has also come to be used as a symbol of Japan.