Needs attention
How to care for it, step by step
Care guide checked on
Is it for you?
For a spacious garden: this is an outdoor tree, not a living-room plant. The species can become very large; for a small space, check a compact cultivated variety, called a cultivar, before buying. [1]
Where to put it
Choose full sun and allow for its future size, not just its nursery pot. Winter cold is not a reason to bring it indoors. [3]
When and how to water
Check a newly planted tree’s root ball and surrounding soil frequently. When they are drying, water the root area slowly; light rain and a wet surface do not guarantee moisture deeper down. [2]
Pot and growing medium
Choose soil that lets water drain away; avoid hollows that stay puddled. An established tree’s drought tolerance does not apply to a recent transplant. [1]
Step by step
If something looks wrong
Yellow leaves falling
Check
Is it autumn, with widespread yellowing? This may be normal seasonal change. [3]
What to do
Check the season before intervening; do not add fertiliser to stop autumn leaf fall. [3]
Soil stays saturated
Check
Check whether water remains after rain or irrigation. [1]
What to do
Stop adding water and have the site’s drainage assessed before watering again. [1]
Read the sources (3)
- Ginkgo biloba NC State Extension · accessed 7 Oct 2026
- Watering newly planted trees and shrubs University of Minnesota Extension · accessed 7 Oct 2026
- Ginkgo biloba plant guide USDA NRCS · accessed 7 Oct 2026
Ginkgo biloba has distinctive fan-shaped leaves, often with a notch in the middle. Their veins fork as the leaf widens, and green turns to yellow in autumn. It is the only living species in its genus: a tree with an entire family branch to itself. [1]
Native to China, it is cultivated in many countries but rare in the wild. Female trees produce seeds with a fleshy coating that releases an unpleasant smell as it decays. This is why male specimens are often chosen for ornamental planting. The leaves clearly have the better publicity team. [2]
Take this with youLook closely: notice the leaf’s fan shape and branching veins.
Read the sources (2)
- Ginkgo biloba Cambridge University Botanic Garden · accessed 7 Sept 2026
- Ginkgo biloba: The tree that outlived the dinosaurs Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · accessed 7 Sept 2026
Original writing and illustration made with AI assistance. Our editorial method
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