{"slug":"ginkgo-biloba","scientific_name":"Ginkgo biloba","common_names":["Ginkgo","Maidenhair tree"],"family":"Ginkgoaceae","type":"broadleaf_deciduous","mature_height_m":20,"mature_spread_m":11,"growth_rate":"medium","lifespan_years":1000,"hardiness_zones":[3,9],"sun":"full","water":"medium","soil":"Tolerates clay, loam and sand and any pH; needs good drainage and avoids wet soils","native_range":"Native to China, with possible wild survivors in the mountains of southwestern China; the last living member of an ancient lineage.","description":"A living fossil with unmistakable fan-shaped leaves that turn clear golden yellow and drop almost all at once in autumn. Young trees are gawky and narrow, old ones broad and majestic, and the species seems nearly immune to pests, disease, pollution, salt and compacted soil, which is why it lines streets from New York to Tokyo. Plant only male cultivars ('Autumn Gold', 'Princeton Sentry', 'Magyar', 'Saratoga'): female trees drop foul-smelling, slippery seeds.","care":"Plant in full sun in well-drained soil and water through the first two summers; it is drought tolerant afterward. Prune in the dormant season to build a central leader when young. It has no significant pests or diseases; the only common complaint is fruit from female or grafted-onto-female trees. Handling the seed pulp can cause skin irritation.","benefits":["fall_color","shade","drought_tolerant","salt_tolerant","long_lived","storm_resistant","small_space"],"uses":["street_tree","yard_shade","parks","container"],"cautions":["messy_fruit","allergenic_pollen","toxic_parts"],"image_url":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/GINKGOBAUM-2.jpg","image_credit":"EecherplazGinkgo06.jpg: Cayambe\nderivative work: Ginkgotree (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons","sources":["https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ginkgo-biloba/","https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/GIBI2","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginkgo_biloba"],"data_note":null,"updated_at":"2026-11-08T01:00:46.205Z","page_url":"https://treerm.org/trees/ginkgo-biloba","markdown_url":"https://treerm.org/trees/ginkgo-biloba.md","regions":[{"country":"CN","region":null,"locality":null,"status":"native","note":"Native to China.","source_url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginkgo_biloba"},{"country":"CA","region":"ON","locality":"Toronto","status":"recommended","note":"On the City of Toronto Street Tree Planting Program brochure species list","source_url":"https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/9765-Street-Tree-Brochure.pdf"},{"country":"US","region":"CA","locality":"Los Angeles","status":"recommended","note":"On the City Plants (Los Angeles) Street Tree Species List","source_url":"https://www.cityplants.org/street-tree-species-list/"},{"country":"US","region":"CA","locality":"Sacramento","status":"recommended","note":"On the Sacramento Tree Foundation Shady 80 recommended trees list","source_url":"https://sactree.org/best-trees-for-sacramento/"},{"country":"US","region":"CO","locality":"Denver","status":"recommended","note":"On the Denver Office of the City Forester Approved Street Tree List","source_url":"https://www.denvergov.org/content/dam/denvergov/Portals/747/documents/forestry/Street_tree_guide.pdf"},{"country":"US","region":"DC","locality":"Washington","status":"recommended","note":"On the Casey Trees Tree Rebate eligible species list","source_url":"https://caseytrees.org/rebate"},{"country":"US","region":"GA","locality":"Atlanta","status":"recommended","note":"On the Trees Atlanta Top 50 Atlanta Trees list","source_url":"https://treesatlanta.org/resources/50-atlanta-trees/"},{"country":"US","region":"MA","locality":"Boston","status":"recommended","note":"On the City of Boston Urban Forestry Division recommended public street trees list","source_url":"https://www.boston.gov/urban-forestry-division"},{"country":"US","region":"NY","locality":"New York","status":"recommended","note":"On the NYC Parks Street Tree Planting Approved Species List","source_url":"https://www.nycgovparks.org/trees/street-tree-planting/species-list"},{"country":"US","region":"OR","locality":"Portland","status":"recommended","note":"'Emperor' and 'Presidential Gold' ginkgo are on Portland's list for planting strips 8.5 ft and wider.","source_url":"https://www.portland.gov/trees/85-foot-wide-and-greater-planting-spaces-without-high-voltage-power-lines"},{"country":"US","region":"TX","locality":"Dallas","status":"recommended","note":"On the City of Dallas Article X Approved Tree List","source_url":"https://dallas.gov/departments/sustainabledevelopment/buildinginspection/DCH%20documents/pdf/BI_Approved%20Tree%20List.pdf"},{"country":"US","region":"WA","locality":"Seattle","status":"recommended","note":"'Autumn Gold' ginkgo is offered as a street tree (8 ft+ planting strip) in Seattle's Trees for Neighborhoods 2026 program.","source_url":"https://www.seattle.gov/trees/2026-tree-options"},{"country":"CA","region":null,"locality":null,"status":"adapted","note":"Widely planted in southern Canadian cities as a street tree.","source_url":"https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ginkgo-biloba/"},{"country":"US","region":null,"locality":null,"status":"adapted","note":"Introduced; widely planted as a street tree across the US, hardy in zones 3 to 9. USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48.","source_url":"https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/GIBI2"}],"license":"CC-BY-4.0"}