Autumn Gold ginkgo

Sun

Full sun; tolerates light shade, but develops a better crown and autumn colour in an open, sunny position.

Water

Water regularly while establishing; moderately drought-tolerant once established, but benefits from deep watering during prolonged dry weather.

Soil

Well-drained soil, including clay, loam or sandy soil; tolerates acidic to alkaline conditions and urban soils, but not persistent waterlogging.

Height

40-50 ft (12-15 m), potentially taller with great age

Spread

25-35 ft (7.6-10.7 m)

Foliage

Green, fan-shaped leaves with radiating veins, sometimes divided by a central notch. Leaves turn golden yellow in autumn and often fall over a short period.

Growth

Slow to moderate; often slow for the first few years after planting.

Care needed

Low

• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Cold hardy
• Disease resistant
• Wildlife

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   7 ft (2 m)

2. After 1 year

   8 ft (2.4 m)

3. After 2 years

   9 ft (2.9 m)

4. After 3 years

   11 ft (3.3 m)

5. After 5 years

   14 ft (4.2 m)

About 26 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Slow

• Plant with the root flare at soil level, well away from buildings and overhead wires.
• Water deeply through the first two or three growing seasons whenever the root zone begins to dry.
• Spread 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch over the root area, keeping it clear of the trunk.
• Feed only if growth is poor and a soil test indicates a nutrient shortage.
• Stake only if needed for stability, and remove supports once the roots hold the tree firmly, usually within a year.
• Remove any shoots arising below the graft union.

Pruning. Prune in late winter while dormant, removing dead, damaged or crossing branches and retaining one main leader. Make small corrective cuts while the tree is young; avoid topping or heavy crown reduction.

Late winter

Check the young tree's framework and remove damaged branches or competing leaders.

Spring

Plant where the soil is workable and not waterlogged; water the root ball thoroughly.

Late spring

Renew mulch and check that ties are not rubbing or constricting the trunk.

Summer

Water establishing trees deeply during dry spells, checking moisture beneath the mulch first.

Autumn

Collect fallen leaves for leaf mould or compost, and clear them from paths.

Late autumn

Plant in mild climates while the soil remains workable; avoid planting into frozen or saturated ground.

• Use as a specimen in a generous lawn where its mature crown and autumn colour can be seen clearly.
• Plant in an avenue or widely spaced row for repeated upright trunks and a golden autumn canopy.
• Set against dark evergreen planting to contrast its light foliage and yellow autumn leaves.
• Use as a long-term shade tree in a large urban garden, with adequate open soil around the roots.

Garden styles it suits: Architectural minimal, Urban city garden, Formal, Japanese, Autumn colour and Low-maintenance.

Plant it with: Japanese forest grass, Epimedium, Christmas fern, Lenten rose, Lilyturf and Japanese anemone.

Wildlife: Offers perching and eventual nesting shelter for birds, but supports relatively few leaf-feeding insects compared with many locally native trees. As a male cultivar, it normally provides no seeds for wildlife.

• Root decline in waterlogged soil: choose a freely draining site and correct drainage before planting; do not keep an established root zone constantly wet.
• Leaf scorch or early leaf drop during drought: water deeply and maintain mulch, especially during establishment.
• Slow establishment: check planting depth, root moisture and grass competition rather than applying repeated high-nitrogen feeds.
• Poor branch structure or competing leaders: train young trees with light dormant-season pruning; use an arborist for large branches.

The seeds of female ginkgo trees are poisonous if eaten, particularly raw or in quantity, and can cause serious illness, including seizures, in people and pets. Their fleshy outer covering can irritate skin. 'Autumn Gold' is male and normally produces no seeds. Its foliage is not generally regarded as a significant garden poisoning hazard, but it should not be eaten or used for homemade remedies; safety information for horses is limited.

• Seed-grown ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)

  The leaves can look identical. Seedlings vary in shape, autumn colour and sex, so a reliable nursery label is more useful than leaf appearance for identifying 'Autumn Gold'.

• Princeton Sentry ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba 'Princeton Sentry')

  Has similar fan-shaped leaves and yellow autumn colour, but typically develops a much narrower, more columnar crown than 'Autumn Gold'.

The name biloba refers to the leaf's often two-lobed shape, while maidenhair tree refers to its resemblance to the leaflets of maidenhair ferns.

Propagation. Usually propagated commercially by grafting onto seed-grown ginkgo rootstocks. Seedlings do not come true to 'Autumn Gold' and may be female; cuttings can be difficult to root.

Accepted botanical name

Ginkgo biloba

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states.

Native range

China Southeast.

Measured

Soil pH 5.2 to 7.5. Average height 3000 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.