Ginkgo
Ginkgo biloba
Also listed as Ginkgo macrophylla, Pterophyllus salisburiensis
Also known as Maidenhair Tree, Golden Fossil Tree, Gingko
Climate Match for your location
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A hardy, long-lived deciduous tree known for its distinctive fan-shaped leaves that turn brilliant golden-yellow in fall. Extremely pest and disease resistant with remarkable longevity, often living hundreds of years.
Why grow it
Ginkgo biloba outperforms most ornamental deciduous trees in urban tolerance, thriving where air pollution, compacted soil, and temperature extremes stress other species. Its architectural branching pattern and reliable golden fall color provide consistent landscape value across a wide climatic range, and its extreme longevity makes it a multi-generational investment. Compared to maples or birches, ginkgo demands less supplemental water once established and resists the pests and diseases that commonly require management on those alternatives.
Watch out for
Female trees produce fleshy, notoriously odorous fruit that can create maintenance and aesthetic problems in residential settings; male cultivars are strongly preferred for landscape use. Young ginkgos develop a narrow, upright form that may require several decades to achieve the broad canopy typical of mature specimens, so site selection should account for this slow initial development. The tree's deep taproot system makes transplanting difficult after establishment, so proper site selection at planting time is important.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Ginkgoaceae
Native Range
Eastern Asia
Seasonality
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Canopy
The tallest trees that form the overstory.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A hardy, long-lived deciduous tree known for its distinctive fan-shaped leaves that turn brilliant golden-yellow in fall. Extremely pest and disease resistant with remarkable longevity, often living hundreds of years.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Ginkgo grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Ginkgo biloba outperforms most ornamental deciduous trees in urban tolerance, thriving where air pollution, compacted soil, and temperature extremes stress other species. Its architectural branching pattern and reliable golden fall color provide consistent landscape value across a wide climatic range, and its extreme longevity makes it a multi-generational investment. Compared to maples or birches, ginkgo demands less supplemental water once established and resists the pests and diseases that commonly require management on those alternatives.
Watch out for
Female trees produce fleshy, notoriously odorous fruit that can create maintenance and aesthetic problems in residential settings; male cultivars are strongly preferred for landscape use. Young ginkgos develop a narrow, upright form that may require several decades to achieve the broad canopy typical of mature specimens, so site selection should account for this slow initial development. The tree's deep taproot system makes transplanting difficult after establishment, so proper site selection at planting time is important.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Ginkgoaceae
Native Range
Eastern Asia
Seasonality
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Canopy
The tallest trees that form the overstory.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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