Berry clusters from an Orange Glow firethorn (Pyracantha 'Orange Glow')
The Garden Website for November
Hummingbirds in Winter - Ponds in Winter - Winterize Your Garden
Pruning - Make More Plants - Overwintering Planters - In the Veggie Garden
Caterpillar Control - Garden Beds - November Roses - Bird Love - Bee Love
Plant Police: Black Knot - November Plant Combo - November Garden Chores
November Garden Stars - November Lawns - November Flower Arrangement
November's Plant of the Month: Maidenhair Tree/Ginkgo
Pruning - Make More Plants - Overwintering Planters - In the Veggie Garden
Caterpillar Control - Garden Beds - November Roses - Bird Love - Bee Love
Plant Police: Black Knot - November Plant Combo - November Garden Chores
November Garden Stars - November Lawns - November Flower Arrangement
November's Plant of the Month: Maidenhair Tree/Ginkgo
A maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba) at sunset.
November Intro
In November 2017 heavy snow was such a surprise, plants were still green, including this Japanese snowbell.
Hello Fellow Gardeners,
I have to admit that despite it being November neither my garden nor myself are ready for winter. It’s been a busy autumn and the weather has not been cooperative. Dodging the rain has resulted in jobs half done and delays, so there’s still lots to do before I hang up my garden hat and put my muddy wellies to rest. If you look at the list of garden chores to get done before winter arrives, it is quite daunting. I’ve been whittling away at it a bit at a time and feeling quite satisfied when I cross off an item from the list. And I know the more I do now, the happier I will be when spring rolls around. It’s a wonderful thing to open the door to a clean and tidy shed come spring. Weather is always a big factor on working in the garden and of course it puts a kibosh on any well-intentioned plans. Which brings me back to November. I have noticed that of all the months, November can be quite nasty. It’s not just wind, rain and sleet that greets us, but in the past we have been taken by surprise with a killing frost and a huge dumps of snow. When that happens our crazy busy city is instantly transformed to a fairyland and after the initial screeching of tires and profanities wane, there is a stillness that only snow permits. It’s lovely as long as you don’t have to go anywhere and gardening is put on the back burner. This year El Nina is going to influence our weather. They’ll be even more rain, which also may result in snow if temperatures dip. We’ll have to see what she has in store for us. Hopefully they’ll be no crazy surprises as I really need to get out there and get my garden sorted. It will be most gratifying to cross more off my list of garden chores. Let me just get my wellies on. Cheers, Amanda 
Nasturtiums have succumbed to a killing frost last November.
November PLANT COMBO
This evergreen combination is suitable for dry soil and receives about 5 hours of direct sun a day.
Although this is a solely green plant combination, it looks pretty good all year long due to the varying shades of green, leaf textures, plant shapes and summer flowers. This garden contains herbs, sage and rosemary. They are the two low plants in the foreground. The third low plant, besides the rosemary, is a deep red double peony, which flowers in June. The last of the low growing plants is a tam juniper (Juniperus sabina 'Tamariscifolia'). The two vertical narrow evergreen shrubs are Sky Pencil Japanese holly (Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil'). The vine that's twining among the plants is a Rubens montana clematis (Clematis 'Montana Rubens'). It flowers in May through June and is covered with pink star shaped flowers. These plants are doing well in this dry location that receives full sun for about five hours in the afternoon.
plant police
Black mishapen knobby growths are caused by a fungus aptly called black knot.
Black KnotBlack tar-like, knobby swellings on the stems of plum and cherry trees are caused by a fungal disease called black knot (Apiosporina morbosa). This very prevalent disease affects members of the rose (Rosacea) family especially plums in the Pacific Northwest.
Causes: Pruning increases the chance of infection as the wounds are open to airborne spores. Weakened trees are vulnerable so provide good drainage and water during periods of drought. Stagnant air, high humidity, mild wet conditions also encourage this disease. What to do: In winter, when plants are dormant, remove the growths by cutting the stems back to healthy wood at least 6 to 8 inches beyond the black knot. It’s imperative to disinfect pruning tools after each cut with 70% rubbing alcohol. Destroy all infected parts from the plant and from the ground immediately. It’s recommended to burn all contaminated plant parts where possible. Severely infected trees should be removed. Avoid replacement plants that are members of the rose family: apples, apricots, cherry, nectarines, peaches, almonds, pears, raspberries, strawberries and roses. Treatment: Spray with dormant oil/lime sulfur while plants are still dormant in late winter. Treat all members of the rose family in your garden with dormant oil to reduce the spread of the spores. Also apply it to the soil around and under the plants. On infected trees, apply neem oil when buds open. Repeat every 7 days. 
Foliage becomes yellow and spotted as the black growths girdle the stems, cutting off circulation.
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New & Timely articles
Coral bark maple, Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku'
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A November scene from the University of British Columbia.
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November Garden Chores
Planting tulips.
Spring Flowering Bulbs: Planting can continue as long as the ground isn’t frozen, however the sooner you get them in the ground, the better. Don't let snow deter you as long as the ground isn't frozen, go ahead and plant. For more on bulb planting click here.
Dahlias, Glads, Cannas & Other Summer Bulbs: If you haven’t already done so, dig up and store non-hardy bulbs but cure them first in a cool, frost free dry place. Store in cardboard boxes filled with vermiculite, peat moss, sterile potting soil, in a cool frost free area away from light. Don’t store if they are wet as they will rot. For more click on Dahlias or Tuberous Begonias. 
Vermiculite is used to protect dahlias overwinter and are stored where it is cool, dry and frost-free.
Transplant & Plant: If the ground isn’t too wet nor frozen there’s still time to transplant and plant trees, shrubs and perennials. Select a fair weather day as rain spreads disease and wet soil compacts easily. It’s also the perfect time to plant bare-root hedges, roses, trees and fruit trees. For more on How to Plant click here.
The more weeds you pull out now the fewer you will have in spring.
Compost: Give your compost one last turn before winter sets in and add water if necessary. If it is too wet, add dried fallen leaves or torn up newspapers. Tempting as it may be, refrain from adding seedy weeds and buggy plants.
Fall leaves are full of nutrients and are best used in the garden and not discarded.
Mulch: Gather fall leaves for a free nutritious mulch. Add 3 inches to your garden beds by laying it on top of the soil around plants.
Winter Mulch: To protect plants over the winter cover the crowns (where stems and roots join) of roses, shrubs and perennials with a couple of inches of fall leaves. 
Pick seed heads, like these poppies, when they are mature and dry.
Collect seeds: Save your money on seeds for next year by collecting them sweet peas, peas, beans, nasturtiums, sunflowers etc. once seeds are dried and brown. For more click on collecting-seeds
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November Garden Stars
Ornamental kale, Brassica oleracea var. acephala, biennial, 1’x 15”, grown for foliage, sun to part shade. Zones 2-9. Click on the pic for more.
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Guernsey lily, Nerine bowdenii, perennial bulb, 14-18”x 3-6”, sun, fall flowers, well-drained soil. Zones 8 to 10.
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Beautyberry, Callicarpa bodinieri, North American deciduous shrub, 6-10', sun to part shade. Zones 6-8.
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Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple', Purple smokebush, deciduous shrub, purple summer foliage, fall colour, 10-15’ x 15’- 20’. Sun to part shade. Zones 4 to 8.
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Dwarf fothergilla, Fothergilla gardenii, deciduous shrub, 1.5ft to 3ft x 2ft to 4ft, fragrant white flowers, sun to part shade, good fall colour. Zones 5 to 8.
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Virginia witch hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, 15’-20’ height & width, fragrant blooms Oct. to Dec., sun to part shade. Zones 3 to 8.
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Japanese silver grass, Miscanthus sinensis 'Variegatus', 5-9ft x 4-5ft, reddish brown blooms age to silver from fall thru winter, sun to part shade, attracts birds, drought tolerant. Zones 5-9
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Pampass grass, Cortaderia selloana, herbaceous perennial, ornamental grass, 8-10' x 4-6', leaves have sharp edges, sun, drought tolerant. Zones 8 to 10.
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Dwarf winged burning bush, Euonymus alatus 'Compactus', deciduous shrub, 9 to 10' tall and wide, sun to part shade. Zones 4-8. Click on pic for more.
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Hardy fuchsia, Fuchsia magellanica, tender perennial, sun to part shade, 3' - 5'. Zones 8 to 10.
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Japanese maple, Acer palmatum, deciduous tree, 20’-25’ x 15’-20’, sun to part shade. Zones 5 to 8. Click on the pic for more.
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Viburnum davidii, David viburnum, broadleaf evergreen, 2-3’ x 3-4’, white blooms April to May, sun to part shade, blue/black berries, butterflies. Zones 7 to 9
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Rockspray cotoneaster, Cotoneaster horizontalis, deciduous shrub, 2’-3’ x 6’-8’, small white flowers May to June followed by red berries. Zones 5 to 7.
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Japanese spirea, Spiraea japonica, deciduous shrub, 3-4’ tall and wide, sun, light shade, pink flowers in summer to fall, yellow fall foliage, butterflies. Zones 4 to 9.
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Japanese Stewartia, Stewartia pseudocamellia, deciduous tree, 20 - 40' tall, 10 - 25' wide, sun part shade, attractive bark, white camellia-like flowers June to July. Zones 5-8. Click on the pic for more.
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Firethorn, Pyracantha coccinea, deciduous shrubby vine, 6’ – 18’ tall & wide, May white flowers, sun to part shade, bears large thorns. Zones 6 to 9.
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Mountain ash, Sorbus aucuparia, deciduous tree, 20 to 40ft x 10 to 20ft, spring flowers, berry clusters in fall colour depend on cultivar ('Sargent'pictured). Sun, dislikes drought, Zones 5 to 6.
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Strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo 'Compacta', broadleaf evergreen, 10’-20’ tall & wide, fragrant flowers Oct to Dec, fruit resembles strawberries. Zones 7 to 9. Click on the pic for more.
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Boston ivy, Parthenocissus tricuspidata, clinging, woody deciduous vine, 30- 50ft x 5-10ft, blue berries, fall colour, sun to part shade. Inconspicuous flowers June, July. Zones 4 to 8
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Wintergreen, Gaultheria procumbens, broadleaf evergreen groundcover, 6” x 1’, white blooms June to July, red berries fall to winter, part shade to shade. Zones 3 to 8. Click on pic for more.
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Abelia Glossy abelia, Abelia x grandiflora, fall flowers, broadleaf evergreen shrub, 4 - 6’ x 5’, sun to part shade. Zones 6 to 9.
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November Lawns
Rake fall leaves from the lawn into garden beds.
If your lawn is not under snow or frost ridden, then give it some TLC while you can. Rake fallen leaves from the lawn and onto garden beds. Set the mower height to 2 inches for the last cut of the year when the grass is dry (good luck with that) and not covered in frost. Avoid walking on frost covered and frozen lawns. It’s too late to fertilize the lawn, especially nitrogen as it promotes lush green growth that is subject to winterkill when temperatures dip. If your lawn is patchy, overseed with a grass seed combined with a starter fertilizer (middle number highest) to promote root growth. . For lawns that need help, apply a winterizer fertilizer high in potash (the last number). This element makes plants hardier, so feel free to apply to weak trees, shrubs and perennials. Click on Lawn Reno, Seed & Sod
Winterize The Garden
Use old sheets, table cloths, frost blankets and/or a few layers burlap. Make sure the fabric touches the ground and all the way to the very tip of the plant.
Wherever you live in Canada and elsewhere it’s important to know your hardiness zone so you can protect the plants that aren’t so tough. Conditions also play a factor in plant hardiness. Dry soil, soggy soil, exposed areas, windy areas, high elevations, low spots – they all influence how a plant survives winter.
I live in southern coastal British Columbia, which is USDA zone 8. In this moderate oceanic climate, most plants don’t need winter protection when left outside in the ground except for pineapple lily (Eucomis autumnalis), freesias, fuchsias, elephant ears (Colocasia spp.), Australian tree ferns (Dicksonia antarctica), New Zealand flax (Phormium spp.), hardy bananas, tender succulents, Chinese windmill palms (Trachycarpus fortunei) and any newly planted plants. However, in the Fraser Valley the influence of the Pacific Ocean wanes as temperatures drop well below freezing. On the other side of the Rocky Mountains, the conditions are more in line with Alberta and don’t resemble the temperate conditions of the coast. The closer to the ocean, the more temperate and that’s why the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, and the Sunshine Coast are in at Zone 7 and 8. Further inland, the Okanagan Valley is Zone 4 and 5, Prince Rupert is zone 6 and 7. Up north, Prince George is a chilly zone 3 with the Peace River region being the coldest zone at Zone 2. Obviously protecting plants is an essential part of garden management, as well as correct plant selection. To read more click on Winterize Your Garden. 
A newly planted camellia is protected by some burlap.
Overwintering Planters
Bubble wrap and straw help insulate the roots of this Portuguese laurel.
Move planted containers that are not being used for winter displays, out of the rain and into a protected area. This shelters plants from wind damage, desiccation and sodden soil. Insulate the roots by wrapping the pot with bubble wrap, insulation or Styrofoam. Alternatively, if you have a protected spot under the eaves, dig a hole and set the pots in the ground. Finish off by wrapping the plant with protective plant covers, old sheets, table cloths, a frost blanket or numerous layers of burlap.
Planters in a straw covered trench are ready for winter.
Caterpillar Control
Stop insects in their tracks by wrapping trees with a sticky tree band.
Purchase a tree banding kit or wrap plastic wrap around tree trunks, smear the plastic with Vaseline or Tanglefoot to prevent caterpillars from climbing and infesting susceptible trees. Click on Plant Pests Part 2 - Controlling Insects
Garden Beds
This bed is all ready for winter.
Cut Back Perennials: Cut them back to 2 to 3 inches above the ground. The extra bit of stem protects their crowns (where stems and roots join) overwinter and provides habitat for beneficial insects, especially those with hollow stems.
Perennials ‘Chop & Drop’: If stems and leaves are healthy cut them off and place them around the plant on top of the soil. Avoid making big piles, just spread them out about an inch or two deep. Make New Beds: Install new beds, weather permitting, and if the soil isn’t dripping wet. Either remove the sod or do the lasagna (sheet mulching) gardening method. Click here to learn more. Edge Garden Beds: It's a good time to edge new and old garden beds to reduce maintenance. Edging prevents grass from growing into the beds and makes line trimming easier. It looks neater too. Ornamental grasses: Cut back droopy, untidy grasses to 6 inches, but leave those that are still looking good. Their seeds provide food for birds and they dress up winter gardens. Clean Garden Beds: Remove diseased, infested and infected plants and plant parts from the ground. It’s best not to remove everything on top of the soil and it is unnecessary and harmful to cut back everything. Transplant & Plant: There is still time to transplant and plant new ones as long as the ground isn’t too soggy. Select a fair weather day as rain spreads disease and compacts soil. Sparse garden? If you have bare areas in your garden beds that are begging to be filled with flora, visit your local plant nursery for some winter beauties such as winter heather, lenten rose, pansies, conifers (ex: junipers) and broadleaf evergreens (ex: azaleas). Cover Soil: Use autumn leaves to cover soil to prevent erosion, lessen nutrient leaching, reduce weeds and insulate the soil. Alternately, if you don’t want to advantage of the abundant free foliage, use wood chips available at garden centres. Lay 3 inch layer of mulch on top of the soil and around plants. Click on Mulch for more. For more info click on Fall Garden Chores 
Rake or knock off fallen foliage from evergreens.
November Roses
The floribunda rose called 'Julia Child' floribunda continues to blossom into November.
November is a good time to plant roses, including bare root ones. Cut back rose overly long canes to prevent them from becoming lethal weapons and being uprooted with heavy winds (windrock). Cut off spent flowers unless you want their colourful rose hips. Remove any suckers originating from the rootstock on hybrid teas and other grafted roses. Pick up all foliage from the soil and any infected ones remaining on the rose plant. Mound soil, compost and/or fall foliage around the crown on non-grafted roses (where stem and roots meet) and on the bud union on grafted varieties such as hybrid teas. To learn how to plant and take care of roses click here.
To protect roses throughout the winter, cover the crown with a mound of soil.
Hummingbird Love
Anna's hummingbird stays for the winter in the Pacific Northwest.
If you happen to live where hummingbirds overwinter, they appreciate a steady supply of nectar. Have more than one feeder as they are very territorial and don't like sharing. Keep feeders filled and clean thoroughly every 5 days with one part bleach to 9 parts water with a dash of dish soap. Rinse and dry thoroughly and refill with fresh nectar. To make the nectar, boil a cup of water and mix in ¼ cup of white sugar and allow to cool. Don’t use brown sugar, honey or any other type of sweetener.
To keep nectar from freezing during the winter, click on Hummingbirds in Winter. Winterizing Ponds
Clean up garden ponds of all organic debris to reduce toxic gasses.
Once all the leaves have fallen, prepare your pond for winter. Don’t drain the water from ponds as it will only fill up with debris, rain and snow during the winter. Remove fallen leaves and other organic matter as you can. Use a pond skimmer net to scoop up the debris. Remove potted pond plants and cut them back to their base. Tropical plants need to be removed and discarded or overwintered indoors. Don’t worry about water lilies as they are quite hardy. To learn how to maintain a healthy pond throughout winter click on Ponds in Winter
Overwintering Tropical Plants
This angle trumpet (Brugmansia) and princess flower (Tibouchina) at Hatley Castle, Victoria, B.C., are moved into a greenhouse overwinter.
Don’t be surprised if angel trumpets, geraniums, bougainvilleas and other tropical plants that were brought inside for the winter start to yellow and drop their foliage and flowers. It’s normal as they adjust to their new environment. Clean up plants by removing all yellow and dead growth from the plant and the soil. Inspect the undersides of remaining leaves and in the nooks and crannies for insects. If any are present, treat with a solution of 6 cups (11/2 quart) of mild dishwashing liquid soap with 1 quart water to 1 tsp vegetable oil. Shake well, apply thoroughly including leaf undersides and stems. Reapply every 7 days. To prevent spider mites, a common indoor pest, don’t allow soil to dry too much between watering. All pots should have drainage holes with drainage tray underneath to collect excess water. For more info, click on banana & palm protection and saving tender plants
Use geraniums as houseplants over winter, but do prepare for some mess as they adjust.
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Pruning
Pruning is not advised this late in the year, but do remove broken branches.
If you are thinking of cutting back your trees and shrubs, think again - it’s too late. Wait until January and February. If you are itching to do some pruning, only cut off dead, diseased, damaged growth and overly long stems from breaking under heavy snow. Before putting your pruning gear away for the season, clean, dry and sharpen them and store in a dry location. Use Lysol or Pinesol diluted with water in a spray bottle. Use a paper towel to remove any residue then spray with vegetable oil spray such as Pam. Click on Pruning Basics 101 for more.
Make More plants
This rooted boxwood cutting started off as a hardwood cutting.
Hardwood Cuttings: Take hardwood cuttings from deciduous shrubs and evergreens now through winter and early spring. Use dormant, mature stems with firm wood that doesn’t easily bend. To learn more click here.
Root/Basal Cuttings: Take root and basal cuttings now until mid-February from most perennials ex: Oriental poppy, phlox, quince. For more info click here. 
No Broken Pots: Avoid leaving empty clay and ceramic pots outside as they often form cracks and may shatter.
Eaves, drains, catchments: Clear all foliage and debris from drains, grates, eaves and any other places where water needs to drain to prevent flooding.
Garden Tools & Equipment: Clean, sharpen and put away all garden tools, including the lawn mower and other equipment. Remove the gas from gas mowers and sharpen blades (or get them done by a professional). Move chemicals, fertilizers and seeds to a frost free location. Put away the garden furniture, especially the cushions so they don’t get mouldy. In The Veggie Garden
Chard and broccoli will continue to grow throughout the fall and into winter.
Icky stuff: Remove all dead and diseased plants and their debris from the soil.
Cold hardy crops: Clean up cold hardy crops of any yellow, dead and diseased parts. These include Brussel sprouts, kale, spinach, lettuce, peas and cabbage, beets and carrots. Brussel Sprouts: Stake top-heavy Brussel sprout stems and pile up soil around their base to keep them stable. Jerusalem artichokes: Cut down stems, dig up tubers and store in a bucket of vermiculite or clean potting soil and store in a cool location. Root crops: Where the ground doesn’t freeze, harvest carrots, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas as you need them. It's a good idea to cover them with a few inches of straw. Use a garden fork to ease them out of the ground. Surprisingly, snow is not an issue as it a great insulator but they are difficult to find. If you live where the ground freezes, dig them up and store in shallow wood or cardboard boxes covered with moist sand or potting soil in a frost free, but cool location. Raspberries: Prune ‘everbearing’ raspberries to the ground. On main season varieties, cut off canes that bore fruit this year. Train remaining growth along wire frames. Stored Veg: Check potatoes and other stored root crops regularly and discard any rotten ones 
A veggie bed at UBC is ready for winter with a thick layer of straw.
Bare Veggie Beds: Bare veggie beds benefit from being covered throughout the winter. This reduces erosion, temperature fluctuations, winter weeds and nutrient leaching. Add a 3 inch layer of straw, fall leaves or shredded newspapers over the soil surface. To prevent them blowing away, apply thickly, flatten down using your feet then finish off by wetting it all down.
If you don't want to hunt slugs, put out slug bait traps.
Snails & Slugs: Slimy trails and tattered plants are signs that mollusks are responsible. Hunt for slugs and snails on rainy days or at night armed with a flashlight, and drop them into a cup of salty water as you go. If that doesn’t appeal to you, put out slug bait traps or use strips of copper to protect susceptible plants. To learn more about the different methods click on Slugs & Snails.
Outside faucet protectors add an extra layer of protection.
Avoid Burst Pipes: Empty the water out of garden hoses, nozzles, watering cans and store for the winter. Remove splitters, timers and any other attachments from outside faucets then turn off their water supply. Follow up by closing the shut-off valves located inside your home. Protect outdoor pipes and faucets with insulating covers available at home hardware stores and at amazon.ca.
Underground irrigation systems: The pipes must be free of water so they don’t burst during the winter. The company that installed the irrigation unit should return to blow out the lines every winter or just hire a company to do it. Bird Love
Suet provides essential fats that help birds survive the winter.
Suet is a combination of animal fat and seeds that provides energy and protein for insect eating birds during the winter. Suet cages are a convenient way to hang suet cakes and reduce the mess. Avoid ones wrapped in any type of netting as birds easily become entangled.
Bird Seed: Check on feeders regularly to ensure birds have a steady supply of fresh seed. Mouldy feeders must be disinfected asap. Take feeders apart and place soak in hot water with 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. Rinse and dry thoroughly before refilling. 
Tsk, tsk! Fall rains have turned this feeder into a stinky, mouldy mess.
Bee Love
Plant snowdrops now to provide pollen and nectar for the first bees of the spring.
Plant Now for Early Bees: Hellebores, primroses, winter jasmine, bodnant viburnum, witch hazels, snowdrops, crocus, and winter aconite are some of the plants that provide pollen and nectar for the first bees of the year. Adding some of these plants to your garden now will certainly give those early bees a better chance of survival.
Mason Bee Hotels: Overwinter in a dry but cold location to prevent fungal growth. Don’t store them where it is warm as the bees may emerge prematurely. In March, place the bee hotel back outside. For more info on pollinators click on Helping Pollinators Planter Love
An existing planter with a variegated false holly, is accessorized with some fall favorites.
Add winter colour with primroses, winter pansies, wall flowers (Erysimum sp.). Add hardy broadleaf evergreens: skimmia, sweet box (Sarcococca sp.) and heather (Erica carnea). For planters that already contain hardy plants, add festive touches such as wee pumpkins and gourds. Add stems from red-twig dogwoods, curly willow and other interesting branches. If you want to add tulips for spring poke some holes with a trowel or other long tool and slip them in at the required depth. For more click here.
November's Arrangement
The last of the flowers from my garden.
Roses, chrysanthemums and fall foliage combine for a colourful design. For a numbered guide to the specific flower names and for other arrangements go to Monthly Flower Arrangements
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November's Plant of the month
Maidenhair Tree
Ginkgo Biloba
Gingkos are used as an effective screen as they don their bright yellow autumn foliage at the Huntington Gardens, San Marino, California
The large tree on the left is an old maidenhair tree at the Jephson Garden, Leamington Spa in England.
The fan shaped leaves are a dull green during the summer and bear a v-shaped notch in the centre.
Foliage arise in clusters from stubby spurs.
Shades of green and yellow as autumn approaches.
Frilly golden leaves become the stars of the garden in fall.
Immature trees are slender with long thin branches spaced far apart.
On young trees, growth tends to be irregular.
When dormant , their knubby spurs where the foliage emerge, are quite prominent.
A mature ginkgo in fall.
Ginkgo fall foliage make a beautiful golden carpet.
A line of old ginkgos tower above the Asian garden at the Huntington Gardens in California.
These 'Mariken' ginkgoes have been grafted onto a dwarf rootstock to become a standard tree.
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Common Name: maidenhair tree
Botanical Name: Ginkgo biloba Form: upright tree Family: Ginkgoaceae Genus: Ginkgo Species: biloba Plant Type: deciduous tree Mature Size: 60’ to 115’ x 35’ Growth: slow Origin: China Hardiness Zone: 4 Foliage: up to 3” long, fan shaped with acute notch in center, veins diverge from base, dull green leathery leaves turn bright yellow in autumn Flowers: March, separate male and female trees (dioecious), males are catkin-like, female flowers tiny, yellow and are borne on spurs Fruit: yellow 2 to 3” plum-like fruit are borne on female trees in fall, centre nut is edible, rotting fruit is smelly and slimy Bark: greyish brown that become slightly fissured with age Exposure: full sun Soil: tolerant to most soils but prefer moist well-drained loam Uses: specimen, shade tree, street tree, accent tree, fall colour, Asian gardens Propagation: softwood cuttings in early summer Pruning: in winter during dormancy Problems: no problems, tolerant of pollution Comments: The Ginkgo biloba is also referred to as a living fossil due to its existence on earth since the dinosaur age. In ancient China and Japan, they were planted in temples and are still revered today. Part of their success is their extensive root system that delves deeply into the ground providing support and stability despite the conditions. These long-lived trees have excellent resistance to diseases, insects and even pollution. Some specimens in their native China, are more than 2,500 years old. The gingko is a very unique plant; it’s the only member of the Ginkgoaceae family. This primitive tree, like most gymnosperms, doesn’t have flashy flowers, but they do have individual male and female trees. The female trees produce fruit that although they are edible, they aren’t tasty and are foul smelling. It’s recommended to grow only male trees to avoid the subsequent mess and smelly fruit In their youth, maidenhair trees have a slight silhouette and are sparsely branched. As they age, their canopy becomes broadly pyramidal and slightly irregular. Their distinctive fan-shaped foliage has a notch in the centre and is a dull green in the summer. In the autumn the attractive foliage turns a brilliant sunflower-yellow. The colour last well into the autumn but the leaves drop off as the season progresses. Maidenhair trees grow best in full sun in well-drained moist soils, but are soil tolerant. Locate them where they can show off their elegant form, beautiful foliage and autumn colour. Ginkgoes are not just beautiful trees, they are used for their memory enhancement properties and have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Cultivars
The greyish brown bark develops fissures with age.
Maidenhair trees are great companions with deep green plants such as cedars and other conifers.
Maidenhair trees are graceful and lacy as their branches are sparse and spaced haphazardly.
Ginkgos come in different shades of yellow depending on the conditions and type.
Ginkgo biloba male tree towers above a building at the Riverview Arboretum in Coquitlam, BC.
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Raindrops look like diamonds on on the pretty fan-shaped foliage.
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THE GARDEN WEBSITE INDEX
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for the tropical Gardener
While working in Florida as horticultural consultant, it became apparent that there was a need for a book on tropical shrubs. There are so many wonderful shrubs to choose from, so I wrote a reference book to make the selections easier. Ornamental Tropical Shrubs includes pictures in full colour and information about the plants in point form. So if you live in the tropics and subtropics and need a reference book on tropical shrubs, or you just want to have a look-see click here.
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