Maidenhair Tree

The Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo biloba) is the oldest tree species still in cultivation, and it earns garden space for one reason above all: the autumn colour. Fan shaped leaves turn clean butter yellow, hold a week or two, then drop almost together. In a home garden expect around 8m tall and 4m wide at ten to fifteen years, because this is a genuinely slow tree.

Why you'll love it

• Autumn colour without the mess. The yellow is uniform and vivid, and the leaves drop over a few days, so cleanup is one job rather than six weekends.
• Roots that stay out of trouble. Non-invasive and deep, so it suits paving, driveways and services where most shade trees cannot go.
• Slow and predictable. It will not outgrow a suburban block, which makes it a safe choice near a house.
• Genuinely tough. Frost hardy, drought tolerant once established, wind tolerant and content in poor soil.
• Nothing else looks like it. The fan shaped leaf is unmistakable, and the winter silhouette stays clean and upright.

Where it works best

Feature tree in a lawn or courtyard. Its narrow upright youth and neat mature shape mean it reads as a specimen from the first year.

Shade tree near hard surfaces. The roots let it sit closer to paths, patios and pipes than a plane or a fig. Allow 3m from a wall so the canopy has room.

Driveways and avenues. Space trees 5m to 6m apart in a row, which gives each canopy room to develop its upright vase shape.

Growing the Maidenhair Tree in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, always. This is a cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean tree, and the colour is strongest where autumn nights turn genuinely cold: Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, the tablelands and the southern highlands. Further north it grows well but the yellow is softer and later.

Soil. Undemanding. It tolerates poor and compacted soils that stall other trees, though drainage still matters. Dig a wide hole rather than a deep one, and mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers while the roots go down, then it is drought tolerant. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is plenty.

Pruning. Almost none required. Remove crossing or damaged branches in winter while the tree is bare, and lift the lower limbs gradually if you want clearance underneath.

What to expect when it arrives

Ginkgo is grown in nine sizes: 200mm in packs of six, 250mm in packs of three, single 300mm, 400mm and 500mm pots, then 45L, 90L, 100L and 200L advanced trees. The smaller pots are young whips, usually a single leader under a metre, and given how slowly ginkgo grows they take years to make a shade tree. For presence now, buy from 45L up.

Deciduous trees ordered in winter arrive bare or nearly bare, which is normal and not a fault. Trees are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Every tree carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing between evergreen and deciduous trees
• Browse the wider deciduous tree range
• Compare other plants for autumn colour
• See more trees with non-invasive roots

Common questions

How fast does it grow?

Slowly, around 20cm to 40cm a year once settled. Reaching 8m takes ten to fifteen years, the trade-off for a tree that will never threaten your foundations.

Can I plant it near a driveway or pipes?

Yes, and it is one of the better choices. The roots are deep and non-invasive rather than surface running, though 2m to 3m of clearance is still sensible.

Does it produce the smelly fruit?

Only female trees carry the fleshy seed, and its coating smells strongly. Trees do not reach seeding age for roughly twenty years, so it rarely becomes an issue.

Will it colour up in a warm climate?

It grows happily, but the yellow depends on cold autumn nights. Southern and highland gardens get the famous display, while warmer gardens see a paler, later turn.