Lighting: | Full sun, especially necessary for good autumn color. very young trees may need some shelter in midsummer. |
Temperature: | Hardy in Zones 5-8, and grown as a street tree even in Buffalo, NY. However, its roots have a high moisture content, and are easily destroyed by frost when exposed to the elements in a shallow bonsai container. Winter protectionof the roots is thus a necessity. |
Watering: | Needs a fair amount of water during growth, but soil should be kept fairly dry ib winter to avoid frost-damage to roots. |
Feeding: | Twice monthly, spring-midsummer and in early September- October. |
Repotting: | Young specimens require annual repotting, older specimens every 2-3 years. Repot in spring, preferably early spring, in basic soil mix. |
Styling: | Young trees have an open branch structure, but older trees form dense columns. It is best to style Ginkgo according to its natural shape. Ginkgo has large leaves which do not easily reduce, so use it for medium to large size bonsai. Pruning scars will not heal, so avoid cutting large branches. Shoots grow in clusters of leaves - reduce the cluster to 2-3 leaves with topmost leaf on the outside. New branches should be pruned back to 2-3 buds while young. Ginkgo is usually shaped by pruning, but may be lightly wired spring-autumn. Great care must be taken to protect the bark as it is delicate and scars will not heal. Leaf pruning does not produce appreciable results. Leaves will reduce somewhat from exposure to high light levels and controlled watering. |
Propagation: | Seed can be sown in spring after cold-treatment. The Ginkgo may be air-layered in spring, or hardwood cuttings may be taken in autumn. |
Pests etc.: | Male specimens are recommended as the seeds from females emit a rancid odor. However, this is much less of a factor in bonsai than landscaping as bonsai Ginkgo rarely fruit. The Ginkgo is almost pest-free, and tolerates pollution well. |
I look for information about Ginkgo for my job in a school of agriculture in Belgium. Thank you for responding.
I live in the high desert (~3,400') of Central Oregon. I have always loved the Gingko tree for it's lovely form, distinctive leaf, and hardiness. I do not know if Gingko will grow at this altitude though Sunset Mag. tells me it grows in all zones. I also have heard that it has an 'allergy' to Juniper, of which we have a lot in the high desert. Will it grow happily alongside a Juniper, so long as they do not touch? What about drifting Juniper pollen in the Spring/Summer? Does anyone know of website(s) where I can find out more, and perhaps order young trees? Thanks in advance for any and all information you can send my way.
PESTS: In addition to the pests Brent mentioned, Malus sylvestris (as well as the Ginkos, Hawthorns, Quinces and probably other Malus species) seem to have a severe *allergy* to junipers. Being that junipers are a rather popular bonsai specimen comes this reminder: JUNIPERS AND APPLES DO NOT MIX! Silly me, in the middle of trying to shelter some Ginkos and a meticulously raft coiled crab apple from a severe storm this past summer, I tucked them under a large garden juniper. Any leaf or branch which came in contact with the juniper, shriveled-up and died within a couple of days. I mentally kicked and cursed my ownself for that careless act. I should know better, but I do forget when rushed. I am lucky that I noticed the infections right away and was able to save the Ginkos and the dragon crab. Only one end coil of the dragon crab died, and I was able to start a new coil to replace the one that died.
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