Ginkgo biloba

Dinosaurs, city trees, and autumn dyers

This plant survived dinosaurs or better to say, it survived what the dinosaurs did not survive. Ginkgo biloba is considered a living fossil and came into existence as early as 250 million years ago. Ginkgo biloba is also a botanical specialty. It is considered a bridge plant between coniferous and deciduous trees.

Undemanding and tough, the fan-leaf tree is ideally suited to the city since it is heat-tolerant, wind-tolerant, and city-climate-resistant. Its bright yellow hue in autumn also makes it an eye-catcher wherever it grows.

“Surprisingly, Ginkgo biloba can be well drawn as a trellis on south walls of a house; in spring you should cut it before its leaves are sprouted.”

Thomas Dieckmann, climate tree expert, Lorenz von Ehren Tree Nursery

Gems for every garden!

During the growing season, Ginkgo biloba offers an intense colour spectacle of rich green and intense yellow. Its leaves sprout late, often only by the end of May. Due to its fan shape, it is called the “fan-leaf tree”. Its autumn colouring starts in November.

Ginkgo biloba is robust and undemanding, hardy, and it can withstand temperatures up to -28°C. However: For young trees, please protect the root area from frost.

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Vegetation pattern

In the hilly area of the Yangtze Valley, the ginkgo tree can be seen in mixed populations of low Acer and Amelanchier species, Cornus controversa and C. kousa, evergreen Ilex, and Ligustrum types, as well as with magnolia species, Paulownia tomentosa, Prunus serrulata, Pyrus calleryana, and numerous oak species.

Juniperus and Pinus species, such as the Chinese black pine, grow in its vicinity.

Eine wunderschöne Blüte des Ginkgo biloba-Baums, auch bekannt als der Ginkgo oder der Fächerblattbaum.

Take a look at the fanleaf tree from the Lorenz von Ehren nursery!

FAQ - Frequently asked questions

What kind of soil does a ginkgo tree need?
Dry to fresh is best; acidic to alkaline; on all nutrient-rich substrates, heavy soils are unfavourable.

How big does a ginkgo grow?
A ginkgo biloba grows about 15-25 m tall and 10-15 m wide; when young it grows tightly upright, later broadly conical to indistinctly round-crowned.

Is the ginkgo hardy?
The fanleaf tree (ginkgo) is extremely hardy and can withstand temperatures down to -28°C without damage. Only young plants should be protected from frost in the root area with mulch or similar.

What are the requirements of a ginkgo?
Sun to light shade should be chosen for a fanleaf tree (Ginkgo biloba). They are heat-tolerant, usually frost-hardy, occasionally susceptible to late frost; resistant to urban climates and wind-toleranth.

Is ginkgo suitable as an urban tree?
Ginkgo is wonderfully suitable as an urban tree because it is heat-tolerant, wind-tolerant and resistant to urban climates. In Manhattan, it is already an urban tree of the future and often common.

Why does the ginkgo count as a living fossil?
As the last living representative of the otherwise extinct Ginkgoales, the ginkgo belongs to an otherwise extinct group of seed plants.