Ginkgo biloba Gold Flame Desginb2

Ginkgo biloba Gold Flame is a new variety of the maidenhair tree that stands out for its particularly fastigiate habit, in the form of a column even narrower than the 'Blagon' variety that was previously referred to. Its branches bear characteristic fan-shaped leaves that turn beautiful golden colours in autumn, but never bear fruit. The impressive stature of this mythical tree has been happily revisited, allowing it, in the form of Gold Flame, to fit into our gardens of more modest size.

Ginkgo biloba Gold Flame was recently selected at the Desmartis nurseries in Dordogne, well known for their magnificent Indian lilacs. Its ancestor, Ginkgo biloba, is a very primitive tree of the Ginkgoaceae family, which is now practically extinct. This living fossil, which does not bear flowers, normally reaches a height of up to 24m (78ft 8in), showing an erect habit in its youth and then becoming more spreading with age, measuring up to 9m (29ft 6in) in diameter. This majestic tree, native to China, has now (and probably for a long time) disappeared in its natural environment, surviving only thanks to the admiration and respect it has inspired in human beings for many generations, who continue to plant and propagate it in their most beautiful parks.

Gold Flame is one of the few horticultural varieties derived from Ginkgo biloba. It stands out for its compact, particularly narrow and columnar habit, with branches naturally leaning towards the trunk, and the fact that all individuals are male. The tree will not exceed 10m (32ft 10in) in height and 1.25m (4ft 1in) in width, with short internodes; it will not exceed 6m (19ft 8in) in height at the age of 10-12 years. Its flat, semi-round, green leaves turn intensely golden yellow at the end of the season, and have the characteristic fan shape, measuring from 4 to 10cm (1.6 to 3.9in) wide. They fall in autumn, leaving a shower of "golden shields" on the ground. This beautiful tree has a semi-deep-rooted system that does not deform the surface soil, and grows quite slowly during the first 10-12 years of its life, faster afterwards.

Ginkgo Gold Flame will be planted as a standalone tree on a short grass meadow, where it will become the focal point of the garden. It can also be combined with Persian ironwood, with its flamboyant foliage in autumn, or with Japanese maples, oakleaf hydrangea, or caramel tree. Its limited shading does not harm neighbouring plants. It is also a good tree for lining a city garden or a rooftop terrace.

Strangely, and despite its deciduous leaves, Ginkgo biloba is a conifer from a botanical point of view. It is a very hardy and resistant tree. It was one of the few to have survived the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945!

It is the oldest species of tree found on Earth, dating back 300 million years, surviving all the cataclysms that the Earth has experienced. This tree with a thousand shields has been living for thousands of years in the Tianmushan Mountains in southeastern China. It was reintroduced to Europe in the 18th century. With exceptional longevity, Ginkgo is also a medicinal plant whose foliage is used to reduce symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.