Ginkgo trees (Ginkgo biloba) are survivors from prehistoric times, making them one of the most unique tree species available. These deciduous trees could be considered a 'living fossil' since the earliest Ginkgo leaf fossils date back 270 million years ago!
You’ll find several types of Ginkgo trees right here at Nature Hills Nursery, allowing you to own one of these exceptional beauties!
No other plants are genetically similar to the Ginkgo tree, although their beautiful leaves resemble Maidenhair Fern. As a vibrant tree with fan-shaped leaves, their foliage stays bright green in summer, then turns a brilliant shade of gold in the fall.
Ginkgo leaves are designed to catch the wind. Long petioles help the fan-shaped leaves lift and sway in breezy weather. You'll have a spectacular fall color show each year. It's even more jaw-dropping because the romantic golden foliage falls to the ground all at once, as if in concert.
Imagine a shade tree that is that easy to clean up, and only getting out the rake once a year. Now that's a convenient shade tree!
There is rhyme to the syncopated rhythm of the Ginkgo tree's dramatic leaf drop. Each year, all the petioles develop their annual scar in response to cold weather. Plan a party to celebrate this special event, or consider taking annual photos of your family under the Ginkgo tree on the fallen carpet of delectable color.
Different Types of Ginkgo Trees
Ginkgo trees are long-lived, strong and hardy enough to handle the forces of nature. The trees are dioecious, meaning some trees produce exclusively male flowers while others show only female flowers and like other gymnosperms, Ginkgo trees are wind-pollinated.
Ginkgo trees can withstand strong winds and grow in various soil types (including compacted soils). Full-grown Ginkgo trees are drought tolerant when fully established. Rugged Ginkgo also does well in urban environments. Native to China, Ginkgo trees have been found that are over 1800 years old. They put up with wind, air pollution, tough sites, full sun, and a wide range of hot, dry climates.
Ginkgo biloba trees are grown from seed and tend to produce more female trees than male. Modern grafted cultivars produce whichever gender is desired. The fruitless male Ginkgo tree has some of the most spectacular fall color. It's also a snap to grow!
For a fuss-free variety, buy the remarkably low-maintenance male cultivar. This means there are no fruit or seeds. As you can imagine, male cultivars like the Princeton Sentry Ginkgo or the Autumn Gold Ginkgo are among the most sought-after Ginkgo varieties for use as shade trees.
The Ginkgo tree has a long reproduction cycle, and the Ginkgo flowers may not appear on a female plant for 20 to 25 years. So unless you purchase a male clone, it can be 10 years or more before you know if your Ginkgo biloba is male or female.
You'll never worry about the deep tree roots of these magnificent urban-tolerant trees, as they will not lift pavement. City planners love using the Ginkgo as street trees. If you find the golden-yellow Ginkgo leaf appealing, just wait! They are urban tolerant, somewhat salt tolerant, and have good resistance to disease and insect problems!
Design Ideas for Glamorous Ginkgo Trees
You'll leave a legacy for future generations, no matter which of the Ginkgo varieties you choose. Grace your neighborhood with its attractive foliage and robust nature.
The Sky Tower is a strongly columnar Ginkgo that turns into a glowing exclamation point in the fall. Use this charming narrow tree in tight spaces, where the large Ginkgo biloba won't fit. Sky Tower is another male clone that displays a vertical growth habit. Keep it as a lawn specimen in a mulched bed, or march a proud row of them along your front sidewalk.
Smaller male Troll Ginkgo trees make a very fun statement. Try them in a courtyard, or grow them in a large outdoor container for many years on your balcony.
Large Ginkgo trees for sale can be used to accent a corner of your property. Create a destination spot near a fire pit. You'll be hard-pressed to determine which is brighter: the fire or the glowing Ginkgo leaf. In some years, the leaves grow to six inches long for a memorable landscape feature.
The fallen leaves have been said to make a great tea and the nuts inside the, albeit stinky, female Ginkgo fruit can be carefully removed with gloves, cleaned, roasted, and eaten as an occasional treat!
Planting and Care Tips for Ginkgo Biloba Trees
Please read the Plant Highlights on every product page. You'll learn which USDA growing zones work best for different Ginkgo varieties, along with sun exposure and soil type requirements. Ginkgo cultivars can be grown across the United States from chilly USDA growing zones 3 to the mild winters of hardiness zone 9.
Nature Hills Nursery is excited to offer several Ginkgo biloba varieties to continue the tradition of these impeccable classics that fit beautifully into modern life!
- Ginkgo trees thrive in full sun to partial shade
- Blissfully easy to maintain
- For the most part, Ginkgo trees flourish in almost any type of well-drained soil
- Ginkgo prefers a soil pH of 5 to 5.5
- Regular moisture while establishing, then are quite drought-tolerant
- Appreciate mulched beds of arborist bark chips
Planting Your New Ginkgo!
Taking the time and these key steps during planting makes all the difference to young trees and ensures your tree will last for generations in your landscape!
- Once you’ve received your new Ginkgo tree, unpack it and get it some fresh air in a shady location or your garage.
- To get them fully hydrated, soak your new Ginkgo tree root system under water until the air bubbles stop coming to the surface
- While your tree is soaking, dig your planting hole twice as wide as the roots, but no deeper
- We highly encourage using Nature Hills Root Booster for lifelong symbiotic root support
- Decide which direction the tree will face your home before you remove it from the container
- Tap your Ginkgo tree out of its nursery container, and settle it in the planting hole
- Firmly backfill soil around your tree to eliminate air pockets at the root zone
- Then saturate the ground around your new tree
- Mulch over the root zone to a depth of 3-4 inches. Spread the mulch out 3 feet away from the trunk (out to the dripline), then pull it back away from being piled up against the bark.
Maintain consistent soil moisture for the tree's first year in its new location. Fertilize your Ginkgo tree with a good slow-release fertilizer. Please follow the application rates on the package. A bit of patience is required when growing Ginkgo trees as they are a bit slow to get started.
Pruning is generally not required. Remove broken limbs as needed in late winter or early spring.
A Legacy For Generations!
Go ahead and make a tremendous visual impact on your landscape today with the formidable Ginkgo tree from NatureHills.com! For your home’s curb appeal, shade your yard, and add a gilded touch to your autumn, the Ginkgo is the tree for all landscaping uses!
Ginkgo biloba is also a fantastic gift plant to celebrate a new beginning, a new home, a new baby, or as, a Unity Tree Ceremony at your wedding, to remember the life of a loved one, or to commemorate the life and legacy of something or someone special! The Ginkgo is a solemn and lasting memorial. Review the types of Ginkgo trees we have available, and then pick the one that works best for you.
Count on the beauty and durability of ancient Ginkgo trees, expertly grown by Nature Hills Nursery. Place your order today!
Happy Planting!
