A centuries-old ginkgo tree in Wonju, Gangwon Province, known for its spectacular golden autumn foliage, shed nearly all its leaves over just one hour Saturday morning, after strong winds and a sharp drop in temperatures accelerated the seasonal change.
The Bangye-ri ginkgo tree, estimated to be around 1,319 years old, was still covered in bright yellow leaves as of Friday afternoon. But strong winds and freezing temperatures the following morning caused most of its leaves to fall between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., according to Yonhap News Agency.
Visitors who witnessed the sudden change described leaves falling like rain, while those arriving later found little more than bare branches.
"I arrived around 7 a.m. on Nov. 7 and saw the tree covered in golden leaves. I also got to see it with almost all its leaves gone just an hour later. Now it's nothing but bare branches. ... Just a heads-up," a visitor wrote on Naver Place.
Another visitor who had planned a trip to Wonju with her friends, with a visit to the ginkgo tree on their itinerary, had to make last-minute changes to their plans.
"Yesterday (Sunday), part of the itinerary was going to see that thousand-year-old ginkgo tree. And then we found out that the leaves had all fallen off on Saturday, so we missed it by a day," the visitor told The Korea Herald. "But also, it's raining, so, you know, maybe that also affected it."
Located in Bangye-ri, Munmak-eup, the towering tree is a popular autumn attraction, drawing visitors from across the country each year to admire its golden canopy. Ginkgo trees typically hold their golden foliage for around 10 days before gradually shedding their leaves.
tammy@heraldcorp.com
