Ginkgo biloba Troll

Ginkgo biloba 'Troll' is a dwarf variety of maidenhair tree. It is small and has a dense habit. Its unusual silhouette resembles a large mushroom. It is adorned with fan-shaped leaves, characteristic of the species, but smaller and more undulate. This vegetation changes from olive-green to a darker green in summer, before turning golden yellow in autumn. The architecture of this small tree is decorative even in winter, when it is devoid of leaves. A botanical curiosity that will have a great impact in a pot on a patio, near a doorway, or in a Japanese-style rockery. Plant it in the sun, in any good garden soil that is not too dry.

Ginkgo biloba, also sometimes called 'Venus hair' because of the shape of its leaves and the pattern of its veins resembling capillaries, is a primitive tree of the Ginkgoaceae family, which is now almost extinct. This living fossil does not bear flowers. It normally reaches a height of up to 24m (79ft), with an upright habit in its youth and then spreading out as it grows older, measuring up to 9m (30ft) in diameter. This majestic tree, native to China, has now (and probably for a long time) disappeared from its natural habitat, only surviving thanks to the admiration and respect it has inspired in the human species for many generations, who continue to plant and propagate it in their most beautiful parks.

'Troll' is a recently introduced horticultural variety in Germany about which little is known. It is probably a dwarf mutation of the typical species, characterised by very short branches and internodes and small-sized leaves. The tree has a very slow growth rate and will not exceed 50 to 70cm (20 to 28in) in all directions after 10 years, reaching approximately 1.1m (4ft) after many years. Its branching is compact, and its young shoots are thick and covered with fuzz. Its deciduous leaves are light olive-green in spring, slightly darker in summer, and then an intense golden yellow at the end of the season before falling. Their shape resembles a fan: rounded, divided into two undulate lobes with toothed edges, in the shape of a cone, measuring from 4 to 6cm (2in) wide. This small tree remarkably resists urban pollution and severe cold.

Ginkgo 'Troll' can be planted in a container near a doorway or on a patio. It can also be planted as a standalone specimen on a lawn, where it will become a focal point for much of the year. Its sculptural design integrates particularly well into Japanese, exotic, or contemporary settings. It can also be planted with small-sized Japanese maples, oakleaf hydrangeas, and purple barberries, for example. It is a beautiful subject for an urban garden or a rooftop terrace.

Interestingly, despite its deciduous leaves, Ginkgo biloba is a conifer from a botanical point of view. It is an extremely hardy bush. It is also highly resistant. It was one of the few trees to have survived the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945.

It is the oldest tree species found on Earth: dating back 300 million years, it has survived all the cataclysms that the Earth has experienced. This tree 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, with its foliage used to alleviate symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.