Ginkgo tree (Ginkgo
biloba) also known as Maidenhair tree have beautiful fan-shaped leaves that
turn a golden yellow in autumn. They drop their foliage en masse in late
November to dramatic effect.
This is not the only thing these trees drop. If you have a
female Ginkgo tree, the fruits drop in late summer and are either a gift or a
curse -- depending on your personal viewpoint. Some people treasure these
fruits for the tasty nuts inside them. Others revile the fruits for their
vomit-like odor that can linger for days.
The trees are hardy to Zones 3 through 9 and are good choice
for urban locations as they withstand both street pollution and road salt spray.
They are slow-growing and can take 30 or more years to mature. Ginkgo trees
prefer to grow in full sun and in well-draining soils.
This ancient tree dates back to the Jurassic period and has
a growth habit similar to conifers, with its straight central trunk and
branches radiating out from it. It is found in fossil records in the Americas,
then disappeared here, and was brought back into cultivation from Asia by plant
collectors.
There are more than two dozen Ginkgo cultivars listed in Dr.
Michael Dirr’s Manual of Woody Landscape
Plants. The ‘Princeton Sentry’ and
‘Presidential Gold’ are both seedless males that are commonly available. Note
that male Ginkgo cultivars have been known to convert to female trees on rare
occasion.
Dwarf Ginkgo tree cultivars are also available that are
suitable for growing in containers. Ginkgo trees can be trained into an
espalier form as well. Here are examples from Chanticleer and in the courtyard
of the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum.
You can read more about Ginkgo trees in the October
2017 issue of Washington Gardener
Magazine.
Ginkgo Trees: You Can Grow That!
The video was produced
by Washington Gardener Magazine.
Audio and Text by Kathy Jentz
Video and Editing by Melinda Thompson
Additional Photos and Video Footage by Kathy Jentz
➤ If you enjoy this video, please give it a thumbs up
and subscribe to our Youtube
channel (thank you!)
➤Remember to TURN ON notifications to know when our new
videos are out
➤ FIND Washington Gardener Magazine ONLINE
~ WashingtonGardener.blogspot.com
~ http://twitter.com/WDCGardener
~ https://www.instagram.com/wdcgardener/
~ Facebook.com/WashingtonGardenerMagazine
~ Podcast: GardenDC
No comments:
Post a Comment