If you dream of a large, gnarled ginkgo tree in your garden, you need a lot of patience: the tree, also known as a fan leaf tree, grows only slowly and it only develops its broad crown when it is around 20 to 25 years old. Nevertheless, the ginkgo tree, which is native to East Asia, can reach considerable heights of 40 meters and more due to its extreme longevity.
Average growth
On average, a ginkgo tree grows between 30 and 50 centimeters per year. However, Ginkgo biloba does not grow evenly and certainly not annually, as the species has several special features in this regard:
- Stagnation of growth
- irregular height increase
- grows slim, columnar in the first 20 to 25 years
- then only a few side shoots form
- Formation of the crown and width growth only takes place afterwards
Faster growth at a young age
The irregular, and in some years even completely standstill, growth is typical of the species. Particularly in the first three to four years after planting, some ginkgo trees do not seem to develop any new shoots at all. This behavior is normal because the plant initially puts all of its growth power into growing its roots. Only after it has firmly rooted in its new location does the above-ground growth begin at around 30 to 50 centimeters per year. This means that by the time they are five to six years old, the trees have only reached a height of two to three meters. The tree then gradually reduces its growth rate again, so that it only develops its full splendor when it is around 50 years old.
Tip:
You can encourage your young fan leaf tree to grow bushier by cutting off the shoot tips in spring from around the third year onwards. The plant will then branch out more at the interfaces.
Achievable growth height and width
In their natural locations in China, Korea or Japan, ginkgo trees reach heights of up to 40 meters or more, although particularly old specimens can have not just one, but even several trunks. In German gardens, however, the species often only grows to a height of between eight and 20 meters. However, these figures are estimates, as some of the very tall and sprawling East Asian individuals are several hundred to a thousand years old. However, the ginkgo tree has only been cultivated in Europe since the 18th century, which is why the older specimens here are likely to be much larger.
In addition, a fan leaf tree easily reaches a width of around eight to ten meters with age. You should take this into account when planting, even if the growth in width only begins after two to three decades and the tree remains rather slender until then.
Note:
In Germany there are also very large ginkgo trees that are several centuries old. The tallest and widest specimens include the 28 meter high and 3.44 meter thick fan leaf tree in the Bodman Castle Park (Constance, Baden-Württemberg) or the one on the grounds of the Rommersdorf Abbey (Heimbach-Weis, Rhineland-Palatinate)., 27 meters high and 3, 60 meters thick individual.
Growth heights and widths of the different varieties
The ginkgo tree, which by the way is neither a conifer nor a deciduous tree, is not considered a monumental tree without reason and should therefore only be planted in large gardens or parks with adequate space. However, if you only have a small garden or want to cultivate the fan leaf tree as a pot plant or bonsai, you don't have to do without it. There are a number of Ginkgo biloba varieties that are bred specifically for this purpose and remain significantly smaller:
Ginkgo biloba 'Mariken'
- grows between ten to 15 centimeters per year
- Growth height up to 150 centimeters
- Growth width up to 150 centimeters
- almost spherical growth
- often offered as a standard tree
Ginkgo biloba ‘Obelisk’
- grows between ten to 40 centimeters per year
- Growth height up to six meters
- Growth up to three meters, slimmer
- columnar and loosely branched growth
Ginkgo biloba ‘Princeton Sentry’
- annual growth between 20 and 50 centimeters
- Growth height between twelve and 15 meters
- Growth up to six meters
- rather narrow, upright growth
Ginkgo biloba ‘Tremonia’
- annual growth between 25 and 40 centimeters
- Growth height up to twelve meters
- Growth width up to 80 centimeters
- columnar growth, hence also “columnar fan leaf tree”
Ginkgo biloba ‘Saratoga’
- very slow growth with approx. five to ten centimeters per year
- Low height up to three meters
- Growth width up to 80 centimeters
- columnar growth
Ginkgo biloba ‘Troll’
- also “dwarf ginkgo”
- very slow annual growth between only two to three centimeters
- low growth height up to 80 centimeters
- Growth width up to approx. 100 centimeters
- rather bushy growth
Tip:
Ginkgo trees are dioecious, i.e. H. either male or female. Since the female individuals often smell very unpleasant, male specimens should primarily be planted. The varieties 'Saratoga' and 'Princeton Sentry' are purely male. Otherwise, the gender of the individual tree is only determined during the first flowering at the age of approx.20 to 25 years old.
