# Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)

> 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.

Source: https://treerm.org/trees/ginkgo-biloba · Updated 2026-11-08 · License CC BY 4.0

## Facts

- Also called: Maidenhair tree
- Family: Ginkgoaceae
- Type: Broadleaf, drops leaves
- Mature height: 20 m; spread 11 m
- Growth: Medium growth; lives about 1000 years
- USDA hardiness zones: 3 to 9
- Light: Full sun
- Water: Moderate water
- 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.

**Benefits:** Fall color, Shade, Drought tolerant, Salt tolerant, Long lived, Storm resistant, Fits small spaces

**Good for:** Street tree, Yard shade, parks, Container

**Watch out for:** Messy fruit, Allergenic pollen, Toxic parts

## 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.

## Where it stands

- **Native:** China (Native to China.)
- **Adapted:** Canada (Widely planted in southern Canadian cities as a street tree.); United States (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.)
- **Recommended:** Toronto, ON, Canada (On the City of Toronto Street Tree Planting Program brochure species list); Los Angeles, CA, United States (On the City Plants (Los Angeles) Street Tree Species List); Sacramento, CA, United States (On the Sacramento Tree Foundation Shady 80 recommended trees list); Denver, CO, United States (On the Denver Office of the City Forester Approved Street Tree List); Washington, DC, United States (On the Casey Trees Tree Rebate eligible species list); Atlanta, GA, United States (On the Trees Atlanta Top 50 Atlanta Trees list); Boston, MA, United States (On the City of Boston Urban Forestry Division recommended public street trees list); New York, NY, United States (On the NYC Parks Street Tree Planting Approved Species List); Portland, OR, United States ('Emperor' and 'Presidential Gold' ginkgo are on Portland's list for planting strips 8.5 ft and wider.); Dallas, TX, United States (On the City of Dallas Article X Approved Tree List); Seattle, WA, United States ('Autumn Gold' ginkgo is offered as a street tree (8 ft+ planting strip) in Seattle's Trees for Neighborhoods 2026 program.)

## Sources

- https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ginkgo-biloba/
- https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/GIBI2
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginkgo_biloba