Ginkgo biloba - tree of life (Forest honeycomb)

The only representative of its genus, Ginkgo biloba is a deciduous tree that reaches a height of 30-40 m, foliage up to 9 m wide, pyramidal in young plants and oval in older specimens, trunk with little branching but with numerous lateral trunks, asymmetric main branches inclined at 45°. The bark cracks in adult plants and is dull gray in colour. The deciduous leaves, 5-8 cm long, long petiolate with a light green blade, which in autumn take on a very decorative golden yellow colour, with a triangular or rhomboid shape, slightly bilobed, and crossed by a large number of dichotomous veins arranged in folding fan. Until 1800 it was believed to be extinct in Europe and only fossil remains were known about it. This magnificent tree is in fact extinct in nature but was rediscovered in China by Western botanists as it was safeguarded and cultivated for millennia in the gardens of Tibetan temples, for which the tree is considered sacred. Since 1800 its cultivation as an ornamental tree has become established throughout the world.

Pedoclimatic needs

It prefers a sunny position although young plants prefer partial shade. It should be grown in fresh and deep soils, even those that tend to be clayey. Very resistant to the cold, it also resists intense and prolonged frosts down to -20°/-25°c. This species does not resist drought and must be watered regularly during the hot season.

Botanical Information

Botanical Name: Ginkgo biloba

Family: Ginkgoaceae