Ginkgo biloba 'Magyar'

Ginkgo biloba is a large, deciduous tree that matures to 100' tall and is considered to be a living fossil. It is the only surviving member of a group of ancient plants believed to have inhabited the earth up to 150 million years ago. It features distinctive two-lobed, somewhat leathery, fan-shaped, rich green leaves with diverging (almost parallel) veins. Leaves turn bright yellow in fall.

Ginkgos are dioecious (separate male and female trees). Nurseries typically sell only male trees because female trees produce seeds encased in fleshy, fruit-like cone which, at maturity in autumn, are messy and emit a noxious, foul odor upon falling to the ground and splitting open.

‘Magyar’ is a male form that was discovered growing in front of Magyar Bank in New Brunswick, New Jersey. It is a narrow upright form with ascending branching that matures over time to as much as 60’ tall and 30’ wide. Green leaves turn a uniform and very showy golden yellow in autumn. Insignificant greenish male flowers bloom in catkins in spring.