KTRS 550 Inside Out Show Saturday September 19 2009

Ginkgo biloba Maidenhair Tree 'Princeton Sentry'

The beloved Ginkgo, commonly cultivated in North America for over 200 years, is the link and sole represenative of a group of plants that lived throughout parts of the world 150 million years ago.

As hard as it is to believe how very unique and old the Ginkgo is, almost as difficult to understand his botanical classification. He is a deciduous conifer. In simplified terms, he is a conifer that is not evergreen. This tree is the ultimate definition of durable, long lived, easy care, disease free and non-invasive. He is a unique sun or light shade choice for cultivated and natural spaces.

The Ginkgo tree selections most commonly available are male (fruitless) and available through reputable nurseries. This distinction is an important feature to be aware of because the fruit bearing female trees produces stinky, messy fruit –like fleshy, seed pods.

He features the most well known trait of this species; the interesting and very easy to identify double-lobed fan-shaped leaves. These leaves have a unique vein pattern as well as a rather thick leather-like appearance. This only adds to his tough guy appeal.

He is available through most reputable nurseries. He has established a good reputation for himself. His employment history includes urban street tree use, municipal settings, commercial and private properties.

'Princeton Sentry', is my favorite cultivar. A manly tree, he can reach a mature height of 40’-50’ which is fairly representative of his family (the species.) He also has retained upright, narrow conical habit. And just like his grandpa always did, he flushes his leaves a bright polished gold as the season draws to a close. When the leaves do finally drop, they drop almost in one day, creating a blanket of gold that reaches from trunk to drip line.

Care Factor Rating: 1 (must be watered regularly till established and does not require pruning! Remove only the occasional damaged or dead branch) Perfect for urban situations and municipal park use. He has no enemies-pest disease or otherwise! Expect a moderate growth rate that slows and fills out wonderfully with age!