Worth knowing:
The Maidenhair Tree is a bridge-like plant since it combines attributes of conifer with those of a broad-leaved tree and its origins date back to the age of the dinosaurs. Its actual needles are that big, that they appear as two opposite halves of one and the same leave. It grows in a remarkably wide projecting form with horizontally sprouting branches. The Maidenhair Tree can prosper in an ideal location between 30 to 50 cm a year. It resists all typical plant diseases and, therefore, is ironically the best candidate for planting in polluted cities. The Ginkgo Tree exists as a male or a female plant, though it is only possible to tell after about 30 years. Because of its long life it is also cultivated and worshipped as a temple plant in many parts of East Asia. Its name derived from the Japanese name, Silver Apricot (“gin kyo”), and the affix “bilboa” describes the shape of the bilobated leaves. And, of course, there is Goethe! He was in constant contact with the court gardener of Weimar and expressed his love for the Ginkgo Tree in the eponymous poem to his late love Marianne of Willemer.
Natural Location:
Only in China the Maidenhair Tree survived, as the only plant of his kind, the ice age. Around 1730 it also spread to Europe.
Cultivation:
Seed propagation indoors is possible throughout the year. To increase its germinability, you can slightly roughen the seed with a soft file or a piece of sandpaper and place it in warm water for about 12 hours. Then press the seeds in moist potting compost, put just a little compost earth on top and cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the earth from drying out. Don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you avoid mold formation on your potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and warm between 20°C and 25°C and keep the earth moist, but not wet. The first seedlings will come up after three to four weeks.
Place:
The Maidenhair Tree is rather carefree, can grow in almost every soil and develops deep and strong roots that let the plant resist even strong wind. Younger plants should be protected from full sunlight, older trees can handle strong sun.
Care:
Water your Ginkgo regularly and sufficiently. Especially young plants react otherwise with yellow and limp leaves. From June on, you should prune the tree to support the developing of side shoots and a narrow growth.
During the winter:
After the golden autumn colours, the Ginkgo casts the needles or leaves. From now on, less watering is required. Only the young plants need a little protection from the frosting winter, other than that the tree is said to be frost-resistant up to -28°C.
Picture credits:
- © © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © CS76 - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
- © Aomorikuma - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
- © H. Zell - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
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