What does a ginkgo tree smell like?

While the gingko tree itself has no discernible odor, the berries of the gingko tree can smell similar to vomit when left on the ground. Because the fruit releases butyric acid when rotting, the female trees, which produce fruit, can seem to be the cause of the smell.

Gingko trees produce berries in late fall. The seeds of the berries are edible and are not the source of the odor. The smell comes from the fleshy outer layer of the berries, called the sarcotesta. The smell can easily be contained or minimized by simply clearing the berries from the ground before they begin to rot.