Ginkgo biloba Globus

The Ginkgo biloba Globus, with its particularly compact habit, is a variety of bush with 40 very well-adapted leaves for small gardens and container cultivation. This bush slowly forms a large, rounded shrub adorned with beautiful fan-shaped leaves characteristic of the species, but of a large size. They will take on an exceptional golden colour in autumn. Like all Ginkgos, 'Globus' is perfectly resistant to urban pollution and severe frosts.

The Ginkgo biloba, sometimes called 'Maidenhair Tree' in reference to the shape of its leaves and its capillary-like veins, is a very primitive tree from the ginkgoales family, which is now practically extinct. This living fossil, which does not bear flowers, normally reaches a height of up to 24 m (78 ft 8 in) and has an upright habit in its youth, then becomes more spreading with age, 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 from its natural habitat. Its survival is only due to the admiration and respect it has inspired in the human species for many generations, which continues to plant and propagate it in its most beautiful parks.

'Globus' is a recent horticultural variety, selected for its very compact and globular shape. It is a male cultivar that does not produce fruit. It is a small, bushy tree, branching from the base. At 15 years old, it will not exceed 2.50 m (8 ft 2 in) in all directions. Its branches are compact, and its young shoots are thick. Its deciduous leaves fall in autumn. They are rounded, cone-shaped, light green, take on a beautiful bluish tint in summer, and then an intense golden yellow colour at the end of the season before falling. Their pattern resembles a fan and measures 8 to 12 cm (3.1 to 4.7 in) wide, larger than those of the species. This small tree has a spreading root system and grows quite slowly during the first 10-12 years of its life, a little faster afterwards.

'Globus' Ginkgo can be planted in a large container near the entrance, on the terrace, or as a focal point on a lawn, where it will attract attention for most of the year. Its design integrates particularly well into Japanese, exotic, or contemporary settings. It can also be associated with small Japanese maples, oakleaf hydrangeas, purple barberries... It is also a beautiful subject for an urban garden or a rooftop terrace.

Interestingly, despite its deciduous leaves, Ginkgo biloba is botanically classed as a conifer. It is a very hardy bush. It is also highly resistant. It was one of the few plants to survive the Hiroshima bombing in 1945!

It is the oldest tree species found on Earth: dating back 300 million years, it has survived all the cataclysms that Planet Earth has experienced. This tree with a thousand leaves has been living for thousands of years in the Tianmushan Mountains in southeastern China. It was reintroduced in Europe in the 18th century. Exceptionally long-lived, Ginkgo is also a medicinal plant, the foliage of which is used to reduce symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.