Ginkgo is one of the toughest trees you can plant. NC State Extension notes it tolerates drought, heat, air pollution and moderate salt, and UF IFAS describes it as very tolerant of urban soils. Getting it right at planting comes down to three choices: buying a male tree, picking a sunny, well-drained spot with room to grow, and being patient while it settles in.

Table of Contents

The short answer: buy a named male cultivar such as ‘Autumn Gold’ or ‘Princeton Sentry’, because female ginkgos drop messy, foul-smelling seeds and seedlings cannot be reliably sexed until they fruit. Plant in full sun and well-drained soil, never in a wet spot, with room for a tree that can reach 50 to 80 feet. Dig a hole two to three times wider than the root ball but no deeper, keep the trunk flare visible, water through the first seasons and keep turf away from the trunk. Expect slow growth for a few years before it picks up.

Step 1: buy a male cultivar

This is the most important decision. The Morton Arboretum explains that ginkgo’s seed, which has a fleshy covering, is produced only on female trees, is messy and has a strong odor, so only male cultivars should be bought. UF IFAS adds that the only way to be sure of a male tree is to buy a named cultivar, because there is no reliable way to tell a seedling’s sex until it fruits, which could take 20 years or more. NC State notes ginkgo is propagated by grafting, which is how named male cultivars are produced.

Cultivar	Form	Source
‘Autumn Gold’	Male, conical becoming broader; bright gold fall color	Morton, UF IFAS
‘Princeton Sentry’	Male, narrow conical crown for tight overhead spaces; about 65 ft	UF IFAS
‘Fastigiata’	Male, upright	UF IFAS
Emperor (‘Woodstock’)	Male, upright-oval, about 50 ft tall and 40 ft wide	Morton
Golden Colonade (‘JFS-UGA2’)	Male, narrow-oval, about 45 ft tall and 25 ft wide	Morton
‘Jade Butterfly’	Male dwarf, 12 to 15 ft	Morton

Step 2: pick the site

Sun. NC State says ginkgo needs full sun to thrive. The Morton Arboretum lists full sun, and UF IFAS lists full sun to partial shade.
Drainage. NC State says ginkgo needs good drainage and to avoid wet soils. UF IFAS warns not to overwater or plant in a poorly drained area.
Soil. Ginkgo is flexible about soil type. UF IFAS lists clay, sand and loam, and both acidic and alkaline soils. The Morton Arboretum notes it tolerates alkaline soil, clay, dry sites and road salt.
Space. NC State gives a mature size of 50 to 80 feet tall and 30 to 40 feet wide; UF IFAS lists 50 to 75 feet tall and 50 to 60 feet wide. Narrow cultivars need far less width.
Roots. UF IFAS rates ginkgo roots as not a problem and says ginkgo is adapted for use as a street tree, even in confined soil spaces.

Step 3: plant it

The International Society of Arboriculture’s planting steps work well for ginkgo:

Locate underground utilities before digging (call 811 in the US).
Find the trunk flare. It should be partly visible after planting.
Dig a shallow, broad hole two to three times wider than the root ball and only as deep as it.
Remove wrapping and any wire basket, or cut the basket down so it sits low. Straighten or cut circling roots.
Lift the tree by the root ball, set it at the right height and straighten it.
Backfill gently but firmly, watering as you go to remove air pockets. The ISA advises against fertilizing at planting.
Stake only if needed, and remove stakes after the first year.
Mulch 2 to 3 inches deep, leaving a mulch-free ring of 1 to 2 inches at the trunk.

The Morton Arboretum says ginkgo transplants well.

Step 4: water and be patient

The ISA recommends watering a new tree at least once a week, barring rain, and more often in hot, windy weather, through mid-fall. The Morton Arboretum notes newly planted trees may need regular watering for two to three years; check the soil first, and water deeply when the top inch or two is dry.

Ginkgo is known for a slow start. UF IFAS says it may grow extremely slowly for several years after planting, then pick up to a moderate rate, particularly with an adequate supply of water. It also advises keeping turf several feet away from the trunk to help the tree establish, which a wide mulch ring does well.

Step 5: light pruning

UF IFAS says ginkgo needs little pruning, but some early pruning to form one central leader is essential. The Morton Arboretum suggests pruning in spring. The ISA advises pruning sparingly after planting and delaying corrective pruning until the tree has had a full season of growth.

What to expect

Ginkgo is low-maintenance once established. The Morton Arboretum reports no serious pest problems, and UF IFAS calls it free of serious pests and diseases and resistant to breakage. In fall, the fan-shaped leaves turn golden yellow. NC State notes that soon afterward the ground under the tree is carpeted with gold.

Looking for other tough, long-lived shade trees? See the easiest oak trees to grow.

Sources

Ginkgo biloba: Ginkgo (ENH432/ST273), University of Florida IFAS Extension
Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo, Maidenhair Tree), NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Ginkgo, The Morton Arboretum
Planting a Tree, International Society of Arboriculture, TreesAreGood.org
Watering Trees and Shrubs, The Morton Arboretum

Top photo: Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How to Plant a Ginkgo Tree