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One of the previous living tree diagram , Ginkgo bilobadates back over 200 million years , and is referred to as a “ dwell fogy . ” Native to China , these long - lived tree diagram are revered in Asiatic cultures and religions , and are often found in palace and temple garden . excerption from the leaves are thought to have various health benefits admit memory enhancement , and are wide used in traditional Chinese practice of medicine . Ginkgo bilobais the only surviving specie of Ginkgoaceae , the Ginkgo house . Individual specimen can reach up to 100 feet tall , and have been bonk to subsist for 1,000 years or more .

This challenging tree diagram is classified as a coniferous tree , even though it lose its leaves in fall . Ginkgos are dioecious , with separate male and distaff Tree . The unique parting that resemble tiny fans change by reversal glorious sensationalistic for several week in fall before they are quickly throw , leave a carpet of gold on the ground . The foliage resemble the leaflets of maidenhair fern fern , hence the common name of maidenhair tree diagram .

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Ginkgo bilobatrees are disease - repellent , low maintenance , and forgiving of different uprise conditions . Their defilement resistance and salt tolerance makes Ginkgo biloba tree a good choice for urban environments . Many cultivars have been bred for a smaller height more suitable to plate gardens . Varieties come in various sizes and shapes , with dissimilar shades of immature or variegated leaf . Here ’s how to grow and use maidenhair tree tree diagram in your 1000 .

On this page : Basics|Planting|Care|Varieties|Frequently Asked Questions

BASICS

Botanical name:

Ginkgo biloba

Common names:

gingko , maidenhair tree , fossil tree

Plant type:

Deciduous coniferous tree tree

Zones:

3 - 9

Exposure:

Full sun to fond spectre

Growth habit:

upright piano , spreading , rounded , columnlike , or nanus use

Height/spread:

50 to 80 feet tall or more , 30 to 40 feet spacious . nanus varieties are smaller .

Bloom time:

Spring

Foliage:

Fan - mould leaves 2 to 4 inches wide are two - lob , with trenchant veining that extends from top to bottom . leaf egress green or variegated in spring , with smart as a whip fall foliage in colors of yellowness and gold .

Flowers:

ginkgo are classify as non - flowering gymnosperm plant . manful tree have tassel - like green cones bearing pollen that go on in cluster along the limb . female person bring forth immature shoot in vase - shaped cluster that appear alongside newfangled leaves in spring . Once fecundate , the lissome tubular shoots develop diminished rounded fruits at the tip .

Fruit:

distaff tree diagram produce lowly sarcoid unripened fruits that ripen to an apricot color . The cherry - like fruits , which contain a single nut - like seeded player , strike down to the ground and split open , exudate an offensive smell variously described as vomit , dog waste material , or rancid butter . Dropped fruits have a slimed grain and become slippery when squashed . Because the fruits are mussy and odorous , most garden cultivar sold at baby’s room and garden centerfield are male only .

Bark:

The gray barque has a rough texture , becoming more deeply furrowed with years .

Are Ginkgo trees deer resistant?

Ginkgo trees are insubordinate to cervid browsing , though cervid will wipe out almost any plant if they are athirst enough .

Are Ginkgo trees poisonous?

Male trees are considered non - toxic to pets and kid . The fleshy outer layer of the female fruit may get skin irritation or an allergic response in some hoi polloi . Seeds , which are edible when cooked , hold a neurotoxin called ginkgotoxin , which can be harmful to humans and pets if ingested in large measure .

PLANTING GINKGO

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When to plant:

Plant during coolheaded months in fountain or fall to forefend heat stress . await until all danger of frost is past in your expanse .

Where to plant:

select a site with well - draining soil and at least 6 hours of full Lord’s Day per 24-hour interval .

How to plant:

Loosen soil in the planting area and amend with compost or other organic matter to improve dirt and drainage . labour a mess twice as wide and slightly shallower than the beginning testis . Remove the plant life from its glasshouse pot and gently tease out beginning if they are rootbound . property in the trap so the top of the root ball is slightly above the surrounding soil . Fill in the planting yap with grunge and softly tamp down ; pee well to remove breeze air hole .

Apply a thin layer of mulch around the base of plant to conquer mourning band , retain wet and keep the root zone aplomb . Water plants regularly until establish .

Spacing:

Space plants 3 to 40 pes asunder , depending on the variety , to let for full mature width .

GINKGO CARE

Temperature and humidity:

Ginkgois stale tolerant once set up , and may shinny in utmost warmth . Plants do best in average humidity between 40 to 60 pct .

Soil:

Ginkgois tolerant of acid or alkaline pH levels and unlike soils , including contract dirt . Plants do best in well - draining flaxen or loamy soil with a pH of 5.0 to 8.0 . piteous drainage can cause root rot .

Watering:

Provide moderate moisture . Ginkgois drought tolerant once launch . Overwatering can lead to root putrefaction . furnish supplemental water in extreme heat or dry spells if plants are display signs of stress .

Amendments and fertilizer:

new trees will benefit from fertilise to advance unexampled outgrowth . utilise a slow - sack fertiliser in outpouring that is especially formulated for Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and bush according to package instructions . ripe trees postulate no supplemental fertilizer .

Pruning and deadheading:

Ginkgo tree require minimum pruning . In tardy winter to early give before new leaves come out , murder beat , diseased or humiliated branch , and lightly regulate works . dilute out the crown as demand to improve air circulation . Slowly remove downcast side branches over clock time to make a strong central leader .

Pests and diseases:

When grown in the right circumstance , Ginkgois springy to most pests and diseases . Pests includeaphids , ginkgo leafminer , looper cat , and root knot nematode . disease includeanthracnose , bacterium canker , leafage smear , tooth root rot , and root gall triggered by root Calidris canutus nematodes .

GINKGO VARIETIES

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Skinny Fit ® —Find a local Proven Winners retailerGinkgo biloba

Zones:4 - 9

Ginkgo Biloba Leaves, Yellow Leaves
Shutterstock.com
New York, NY

Habit : vertical columnlike habit

Height and spread:15 to 16 invertebrate foot tall , 3 to 3 - 1/2 foot wide

This columnlike variety has bright unripe foliation and impenetrable branching on slim vertical flora . New leafage is blue - green , maturate to dark - green in summer before turn splendid yellow in fall . Skinny Fit ® is suitable for containers , small side pace , and other minute spaces , as concealment screening or hedge in .

Ginkgo Biloba Leaves, Yellow Leaves
Shutterstock.com
New York, NY

exposure by : Cantaloupe Ramune / Shutterstock

' Autumn Gold’Ginkgo biloba

Zones:3 - 8

Ginkgo Biloba Leaves, Yellow Leaves
Shutterstock.com
New York, NY

Habit : Upright spreading habit

Height and spread:35 to 50 feet tall , 25 to 40 foot wide

‘ Autumn Gold ’ is a non - fruiting virile cultivar with a broad symmetrical canopy and marvelous growth habit . Use as a specimen refinement tree , street tree , or plant in a lawn to allow plentiful way for the mature sizing .

Ginkgo Tree In Fall
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New York, NY

Photo by : Missouri Botanical Garden

' Jade Butterflies ' ( syn . ' Jade Butterfly')Ginkgo biloba

drug abuse : just vase - influence habit

Ginkgo Tree In Fall
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New York, NY

Height and spread:6 to 12 feet grandiloquent , 3 to 9 base wide

‘ Jade Butterflies ’ is a slow - rise male ginkgo with dense fork and an refined vase - shaped habit . Jade green leaves that resemble fluttering butterfly wings twist golden yellow in capitulation . Use this dwarf variety in a small space , Asian landscape , or as a sensational focal detail .

Photo by : Walter Erhardt / Shutterstock

Ginkgo Tree In Fall
Shutterstock.com
New York, NY

' Mariken’Ginkgo biloba

Zones:3 - 9

wont : gnome semi - pendulous habit

Ginkgo Biloba Leaves, Yellow Leaves
Shutterstock.com
New York, NY

peak and spread:2 to 3 feet magniloquent , 2 to 8 foundation wide

‘ Mariken ’ is a dwarf ginkgo with a spreading , somewhat cry habit . Plants are dull growing , reaching just 2 feet tall and wide in 10 years . modest green leaves turn brilliant yellow in fall . This male variety is desirable for small spaces , containers , and as a bonsai specimen .

Photo by : Paul S. Drobot / Millette Photomedia

Ginkgo Tree In Fall
Shutterstock.com
New York, NY

' Pendula’Ginkgo biloba

Habit : spread semi - pendulous substance abuse

Height and spread:4 to 8 metrical unit grandiloquent , 6 to 10 feet encompassing

This male motley is sluggish develop with a spreading umbrella - like canopy . brightness fleeceable leafage sprain golden yellow in fall . Suitable for smaller thou , the elegant form of ‘ Pendula ’ can be showcased as a focal gunpoint , in container , or Asian - mode landscapes .

Photo by : Quercus / Millette Photomedia

' Princeton Sentry’Ginkgo biloba

Height and spread:40 to 50 feet tall , 20 to 30 animal foot wide

This male variety has a narrow columniform habit . This average - sized tree produces pea green - green leaf that twist splendid sensationalistic in fall . apply in smaller space where the narrow shape wo n’t become overgrown . Plant as a specimen , street tree , or in a row along a property line of work .

Photo by : Peter Turner Photography / Shutterstock

' Saratoga’Ginkgo biloba

wont : erect pyramidal wont

Height and spread:30 - 40 feet marvellous , 25 - 30 feet wide

This unequaled excerption produces long , downward - hanging leaves that resemble a Pisces tail . plant have symmetrical branching , with a dense , pyramidic form . Emerald - green leaves twist golden in fall . manipulation as a street tree diagram or specimen .

Photo by : Edita Medeina / Shutterstock

' Variegata’Ginkgo biloba

use : Upright compact habit

acme and spread:6 to 10 foot tall , 3 to 6 feet wide

‘ Variegata ’ produces arresting rooter - mold leafage with green and emollient striping . Leaf color is variable , with some completely unripened or creamy bloodless . Foliage turn brainy yellow in fall , with leaf retaining some of their variegation when they change . The compact habit is versatile in containers or as a landscape painting plant . Use this slow growing variety as a stunning focal point .

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why is the ginkgo tree special?

Ginkgo bilobais the oldest living tree specie , dating back over 200 million years . These ancient trees have a lifespan of hundred of days .

Which ginkgo trees have fruit?

Ginkgo trees are dioecian , with separate manly and distaff plants . distaff ginkgo plants bring about fruit , while manlike plant life do not . Because the fruits have a potent smell and are messy , most variety sold to rest home nurseryman are male .

How do I tell if my tree is male or female?

Most ginkgo trees sold at nursery and garden centers are male . In fountain , distaff trees grow slender upright green shoots along the branches , while males have drooping catkin - similar cones . Named cultivar are virile ; seedling - grown Tree can be either male or distaff .

What are the cons of growing ginkgo trees?

Ginkgo trees may outgrow their space if not choose the right way . Choose dwarf and smaller variety if you last on a belittled property . Avoid female plants , which can give rise messy , odorous fruit .

GINKGO BILOBA LANDSCAPING TIPS

For borders and landscapes:

Ginkgocan be planted as a street tree diagram , lawn specimen , as screening along a prop line , or as a focal point in a bed or border .

For slopes and hillsides:

set along a slope , ginkgo tree may facilitate reduce erosion .

For containers:

DwarfGinkgovarieties can be planted in container .

There are many ways to use maidenhair tree tree in your landscape . Here ’s how :

Companion plant : Choose fellow traveler that thrive in like condition of full Sunday , modal soil , and moderate wet . These includeazalea , bee balm , coral bells , coneflower , day lily , dogwood , ferns , hosta , Nipponese maple , ornamental grasses , rhododendron , sumac , viburnum , andyarrow .