Ginkgo

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)

Maidenhair Tree

Full sun, medium to moderately dry moisture, tolerates clay, sandy loam, and compacted urban soils, pH 5.0–8.0; highly tolerant of pollution, drought, and heat.

50–80 feet tall by 30–50 feet wide; dioecious; flowers inconspicuous, appearing in spring; female trees produce a fleshy-coated seed (commonly called fruit) about 2.5 cm long that falls in October–November and produces a distinctly offensive rancid-butter odor as it decomposes.

Native region: Not native to Tennessee; ornamental introduction from China; the only living member of division Ginkgophyta.

Ginkgo biloba is one of the most stress-tolerant large shade trees available for Middle Tennessee landscapes — it handles the clay soils, summer humidity, and occasional drought of the Zone 6b/7a corridor without significant problems. UT Extension shade tree surveys note virtually no serious insect or disease issues; its primary ornamental drawback is the malodorous fleshy seed coating of female trees. For street-side and high-traffic planting, male selections (e.g., 'Autumn Gold', 'Magyar', 'Princeton Sentry') are strongly preferred. Distinctive fan-shaped leaves with parallel venation turn clear yellow in fall — one of the more reliable and consistent fall colors in Tennessee given the variable freeze timing. The slow-to-medium growth rate means establishment mulching per UT Extension guidelines — 7–10 cm layer, kept off the trunk flare — is important for the first 2–3 seasons.