Ginkgo biloba Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Ginkgo biloba — 20cm / 3.5L
Maidenhair Tree

Ginkgo biloba

£15.99
Very hardySun-lovingRHS award winner
Pot size
20cm / 3.5L £15.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

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Description

Ginkgo biloba, the maidenhair tree, is one of the most remarkable trees you can grow. A true living fossil tree, it is the sole survivor of an ancient lineage that stretches back around 200 million years, essentially unchanged since the age of the dinosaurs. Its distinctive fan-shaped leaves are unlike anything else in the garden, and in autumn they turn a brilliant butter-gold before often dropping together within a few days.

Tough, adaptable and fully hardy, Ginkgo is a superb architectural foliage tree for UK gardens. It shrugs off cold, pollution and city conditions, making it one of the most reliable hardy ornamental trees you can plant. As one of our hardy exotics, it delivers a striking, almost prehistoric character while asking very little in return. For a sense of how it settles in through the seasons, see our guide on what to expect.

Water well through the first few summers to establish, after which it is largely self-reliant and needs little pruning. Ginkgo makes a superb specimen tree, and its slow growth makes it a fine subject for a large pot or as bonsai for many years. It also earns its place in exotic borders and, being wind and pollution tolerant, copes well in coastal and exposed planting.

Supplied as a young tree. We offer male or seedling trees, which avoid the strong-smelling fruit produced by mature female Ginkgo, so you get all of the beauty and none of the smell.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Maidenhair Tree

Plant me in full sun and the coldest UK winters do not worry me.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Maidenhair Tree

Ginkgo biloba needs full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is very hardy, standing the coldest UK winters outdoors.

Good for

Architectural Coastal & Exposed Exotic Borders

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H7 · Hardy Exotic · below −20°C

Fully hardy across the UK (RHS H7).

Position

Full sunPartial shadeNorth-facingEast-facingSouth-facingWest-facingExposedSheltered

Full sun for the best growth and golden autumn colour; tolerates light partial shade.

Soil

ChalkClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH

Any reasonable, moist but well-drained soil across the pH range. Very adaptable.

Watering

Water well through the first two or three summers to establish; then largely self-reliant. Little pruning needed. Read moreShow less

Water well through the first two or three summers to establish; then largely self-reliant. Little pruning needed.

Mature size

Height8-25 m
Spread5-8 m

Reaches full size in 20-50 years

Growth habit

Columnar/upright

Flowering

Insignificant

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Deciduous

Pruning

Needs minimal pruning — just remove any dead, damaged or crossing branches in winter while dormant to keep a clean framework.

Toxicity

Leaves and wood are low risk. On female trees the fleshy seed coating has a strong smell and can irritate skin, and the seeds are not for eating raw.

Native range

China

Family

Ginkgoaceae

Also known as

Ginkgo biloba

Genus

Ginkgo
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

How big and how fast does Ginkgo biloba grow?

Slow to moderate, eventually a large tree of 8 to 25m over many decades. It makes superb architectural foliage for larger gardens.

Why is Ginkgo biloba called a living fossil?

It is the sole survivor of an ancient tree lineage around 200 million years old, essentially unchanged.

Can you grow Ginkgo biloba in a pot?

Yes, its slow growth makes it a fine container or bonsai subject for many years.

When do Ginkgo leaves turn gold?

In autumn the fan-shaped leaves turn a brilliant butter-gold, often dropping within a few days.

Is Ginkgo biloba hardy and pollution tolerant?

Yes, it is extremely hardy and one of the most pollution and city tolerant trees, coping well even in coastal and exposed gardens.

Should I choose a male or female Ginkgo?

Male or seedling trees are usually preferred, as mature female trees produce strong-smelling fruit.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Ginkgo biloba
£15.99