Growth: this is how fast a ginkgo tree grows a year

Anyone dreaming of a large, gnarled ginkgo tree in the garden needs a lot of patience: also as a fan leaf tree The designated wood grows slowly, and it only forms its broad crown from an age of around 20 to 25 years the end. Nevertheless, the ginkgo tree, which is native to East Asia, can reach considerable heights of 40 meters and more due to its extreme longevity.

Average growth

On average, a ginkgo tree gains between 30 and 50 centimeters in growth per year. However, Ginkgo biloba does not grow evenly and certainly not annually, because the species has several peculiarities in this regard:

• Stagnation in growth
• irregular increase in height
• grows slender columnar for the first 20 to 25 years
• then only develops a few side shoots
• Formation of the crown and width growth takes place only afterwards

Faster growth at a young age

The irregular, in some years even completely stationary growth is typical of the species. In the first three to four years after planting in particular, some ginkgo trees do not seem to develop any new shoots at all. This behavior is normal

because the plant initially invests all of its vigor in the growth of its roots. Only after it is firmly rooted in its new location does the above-ground increase begin with approx. 30 to 50 centimeters per year. So it happens that the trees have reached a stature height of only two to three meters by the age of five to six years. After that, the tree gradually reduces its growth rate again, so that it only reaches its full splendor from an age of approx. Developed for 50 years.

Tip: You can encourage your young fan-leaf tree to grow more bushy by starting at approx. cut the shoot tips in spring in the third year. The plant will then branch out more strongly at the interfaces.

Achievable growth height and width

In their natural habitats in China, Korea or Japan, ginkgo trees reach heights of growth of up to 40 Meters and more, with particularly old specimens not only having one, but even several trunks can. In German gardens, however, the species is often only eight to 20 meters high. However, it is

This information is based on estimates, because the very tall and expansive East Asian individuals are sometimes several hundred to thousand years old. In Europe, however, the ginkgo tree has only been cultivated since the 18th century. Century, which is why the local older specimens are likely to be much larger.
In addition, a fan-leaf tree easily reaches a width of around eight to ten meters with age. You should take this into account when planting, even if the growth in width does not begin until after two to three decades and the tree remains rather slender until then.

Note: In Germany, too, there are very large ginkgo trees that are several centuries old. The tallest and widest examples include the 28-meter-high and chest-height 3.44-meter-thick fan-leaf tree in Bodman Castle Park (Konstanz, Baden-Württemberg) or the one on the grounds of the Rommersdorf Abbey (Heimbach-Weis, Rhineland-Palatinate), 27 meters high and 3.60 meters thick Individual.

Heights and widths of the different varieties

The ginkgo tree, which, by the way, does not belong to the coniferous or the deciduous trees, is one of them for a reason monumental trees and should therefore only be planted in large gardens or parks with adequate space will. However, if you only have a small garden or use the fan leaf tree as a potted plant or If you want to cultivate bonsai, you don't have to do without it. There are a number of Ginkgo biloba varieties that are specially bred for this purpose and that remain significantly smaller:

Ginkgo biloba 'Mariken'

• grows between ten to 15 centimeters / year
• Growth height up to 150 centimeters
• Spread up to 150 centimeters
• almost spherical growth
• often offered as a standard

Ginkgo biloba 'Obelisk'

• grows between ten to 40 centimeters / year
• Growth height up to six meters
• Spread up to three meters, slimmer
• columnar and loosely branched growth

Ginkgo biloba 'Princeton Sentry'

• annual growth between 20 and 50 centimeters
• Height between twelve and 15 meters
• Spread up to six meters
• rather narrow, upright growth

Ginkgo biloba 'Tremonia'

• annual growth between 25 and 40 centimeters
• Growth height up to twelve meters
• Spread up to 80 centimeters
• columnar growth, therefore also "columnar fan-leaf tree"

Ginkgo biloba 'Saratoga'

• very slow growth with approx. five to ten centimeters per year
• low growth height up to three meters
• Spread up to 80 centimeters
• columnar growth

Ginkgo biloba 'Troll'

• also "dwarf ginkgo"
• very slow annual growth between only two to three centimeters
• low growth height up to 80 centimeters
• Growth width up to approx. 100 centimeters
• rather bushy growth

Tip: Ginkgo trees are dioecious, i. H. either male or female. Since the female individuals often smell very unpleasant, mainly male specimens should be planted. The varieties 'Saratoga' and 'Princeton Sentry' are all male. Otherwise, the gender of the individual tree is only known during the first flowering at the age of approx. Recognizable for 20 to 25 years.