Common Ginkgo

How to grow Common Ginkgo

Written by the GardenDecoded editorial team · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Plant in spring in an open, sunny position with room for a tall tree. It is unusually tolerant of pollution, compaction and difficult urban soils, which is why it is so widely used as a street tree. Young trees are narrow and rather gawky; the shape fills out with age.

Pruning

Almost none required. Remove damaged wood in winter and let the tree develop its own form.

Propagation

Seed is possible but slow, and seedlings cannot be sexed for many years. Named male clones are grafted or grown from cuttings.

Pests and diseases

Remarkably free of pests and diseases in the UK.

Value to wildlife

Very little value to UK wildlife; it has no native associates here.

Notes

Grown for the fan-shaped leaves and their clear butter-yellow autumn colour, which often drops within a day or two. Buy a named male clone: female trees produce fleshy seed coats with a strong unpleasant smell when they fall. Growth is slow, particularly in the first few years.

Some structured details on this page (such as tolerances, pH and hardiness) come from USDA PLANTS Database (public domain). The written guidance is GardenDecoded's own, researched as described in our editorial policy.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Ginkgo biloba but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.