Ginkgo biloba Pendula

The Ginkgo biloba 'Pendula', with moderate development and slow growth, allows the imposing Tree of Forty Crowns to be present in all gardens, even of modest size, and even on terraces in a pretty pot. This grafted variety develops a crown initially horizontal, whose branches become more trailing over time. Its foliage turns moderately yellow in autumn, transforming the plant into a fountain of light. This small, architectural tree will flourish in the sun, in any good garden soil that is not too dry, without requiring much maintenance. 

The Ginkgo biloba, sometimes called 'Hair of Venus' in reference to the shape of its leaves and the design of its veins similar to capillaries, is a very primitive tree from the Ginkgoales family, which is now practically extinct. This living fossil, which does not bear flowers, normally grows up to 24 m (78 ft 8 in) high, shows an erect habit in its youth then more spread out with the years, measuring up to 9 m (29 ft 6 in) in diameter. This majestic tree, native to China, has now (and probably for a long time) disappeared in its natural environment, owing its survival only to the admiration and respect it has inspired for many generations in Man, who continues to plant and propagate it in his most beautiful parks. 

The Ginkgo 'Pendula' is a horticultural variety and has grafted onto a Gingko biloba type stem. The tree reaches about 2.50 m (8 ft 2 in) in all directions at 10 years, about 3.50 m (11 ft 6 in) after many years. Its branching is quite compact, it forms a horizontally spread crown which takes on a parasol appearance over time. Its deciduous leaves, rounded, cone-shaped, light green, take on pretty bluish reflections in summer, then a light yellow colour at the end of the season, before falling. They evoke a fan by their design. Grouped in 3 to 5s, they show a cut-off point. This small tree has a spread root system, and grows quite slowly for the first 10-12 years of its life, a little faster afterwards.

Ginkgo 'Pendula' should be planted in a pot near the entrance, on a terrace, or as a standalone tree on a short grass meadow, where it will become a focal point for most of the year. Its architectural design integrates particularly well with Japanese, exotic or contemporary decor. It can also be planted with Japanese maples of modest size, oak-leafed hydrangeas or Berberis. 

Oddly enough, despite its deciduous leaves, the Ginkgo biloba is a conifer from a botany point of view. It is a very hardy bush. It is also very resistant. It was one of the few to have survived the Hiroshima bomb in 1945!

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