| General Description | Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn gold’ is a deciduous tree that can make an excellent urban landscape tree for durability and easy growth. It is a male cultivar that does not produce the unpleasant Ginkgo fruit, and has a deeper, vibrant, more uniform, golden yellow colour than the straight species. The lobed, fan-shaped leaf is unique to the Ginkgo species and is highly recognizable. |
| ID Characteristic | This tree has a distinct lobed, fan-shaped leaf that will be untouched by any pest or diseases; they will start out as a medium green and turn to a uniform golden yellow colour in the autumn. They will have distinct parallel lines coming from the petiole to the apex of the leaf. The buds will be around 12 mm long with clusters of 3-5 leaves coming from them, and attached to stout spurs covered in bud scales.
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| Shape | It is upright and symmetrically-branched, with a pyramidal (nearly conical) shape. When young, it can look sparse, but it will fill out with maturity.
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| Landscape | It has many different landscapes uses, as it is one of the most pollution tolerant trees. Since it is a male cultivar that does not produce the fruit (that can have an unpleasant fragrance), it would make an excellent shade tree. It is commonly used as an urban or street tree, found in parking lots, large park areas, courtyards, or a specimen tree on private property. With the low maintenance required and the beautiful golden yellow colour it will add in the autumn, it is a great choice to use just about anywhere. The tree’s height must be considered, as it should not be planted under anything that can impact its growth or cause damage. Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’ can be used as a Bonsai tree. The history of Ginkgo biloba being used as a bonsai is minimal. The Arnold Arboretum in Boston, United States of America, does have a Ginkgo biloba in their Bonsai and Penjing collection.
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| Propagation | For propagation the Royal Horticultural Society recommends semi-ripe cuttings, though there are some reports of success using softwood cuttings. If using semi-ripe cuttings, the cutting should be taken between late summer and mid-autumn, cutting it in the morning to help avoid wilting of the plant. Take a cutting that is hard at the base but still soft at the tip, between 10-15 cm long, just below a leaf node. Remove the soft tip and any extra leaves, place in a plastic bag and make sure to pot the cutting within 12 hours. For a softwood cutting, take it between spring and early summer, early in the day when the plant is still turgid. The base should be dipped into a rooting hormone and planted in compost in both cases.
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| Cultivation | For best growth, it requires full sun. It can take either acid or alkaline soils as long as there is ample drainage. It may require summer watering while young, but once matured, it is drought tolerant. Could use a little pruning while young to help develop a stronger structure. It is one of the most pollution and salt-tolerant trees, and can be planted in urban environments, as long as it is not directly underneath any buildings or low-hanging wires.
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| Pests | Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’ has no known pest issues. |
| Notable Specimens | The Boone County Arboretum, Union, Kentucky, United States of America, has three Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’ listed in their collections.
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| Habitat | Horticultural origin. |
| Bark/Stem Description | The bark will be a grey-brown with furrows that become a deep darker grey with maturity. The stems will start as more of a brown colour, grow upright and be a medium thickness. The branches will have stout spurs along them, covered in bud scales, which will make the tree have an almost stiff, thorny look in the winter. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | The buds are a lighter brown colour, around 12 mm long and have a conical shape. They will produce clusters of 3-5 leaves and 5-6 male flower stamens. They are attached to stout spurs that are covered in dark grey bud scales.
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| Leaf Description | Leaves are a unique fan-shape and lobed; they resemble the maidenhair fern leaf. They have a parallel palmate venation, and the blade's length is 5–10 cm long. With distinct parallel lines coming from the petiole running to the apex, they start a medium green colour and, in the autumn, turn into a vibrant, uniform golden yellow colour. Once the leaves turn golden yellow, they stay on the tree for a few weeks, then fall off mostly at once and create a blanket of gold at the base of the tree. Ginkgo leaves are heavier than other deciduous leaves, which causes them not to blow around as much, giving a cleaner appearance.
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| Flower Description | The male Ginkgo flower is 3 cm long, with clusters of downward sloping green stamens. They produce tiny white petals in pairs of two and go all the way down the stamen. Though the flower is not unpleasant, it does not add any interest to the tree.
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| Fruit Description | Only female Ginkgo can produce the fruit. The fruit on a Ginkgo is not a fruit but a naked seed. It is round and plum-shaped, starts as green and ripens to a brown, sometimes orange, colour. It can produce an unpleasant smell, which makes male cultivars more desirable for landscape use. Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’ is a male cultivar and does not produce the fruit.
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| Colour Description | The leaf starts as a medium but attractive green and in the autumn turns to a vibrant, uniform, golden yellow that stands out in any environment. The flowers are green with tiny white pedals. The bark adds a medium to dark grey-brown contrast that will add to the showiness of the tree without taking away from the vibrancy of the autumn colour.
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| Texture Description | It has a medium texture for the majority of the year. The shoots the buds are attached to give the tree a stout or spiky texture in the winter. |