Ginkgo biloba 'TROLL'

Maidenhair tree is probably one of the oldest species on Earth. It was here some 180 million years ago … obviously it was the time when the Dead Sea was still ill. Its extreme tolerance of various conditions made it survive to our time. One tree can live as long as 2000 years.
Not everyone can afford growing a large tree in his garden but would like to enjoy its foliage. Dwarf varieties are perfect solutions to this problem. And Troll is one of the most recent solutions among them. This German word means hobbit and hobbits, as we know them, are usually small. Troll is a dwarf maidenhair tree which hardly exceeds 1m tall when mature. It is a conifer though its needles are so flat and wide that you just have to call them leaves. They are deciduous, fan-shaped, young leaves are fresh green and turn matt and pale or pea-green in maturity. In autumn they change to vivid yellow.

It grows very slowly making short branches, densely covered with foliage. Shrub forms look like an exotic type of mushroom irregularly covering the ground. Usually available are also plants grafted on stems of various heights. Troll is perfect for Japanese gardens, as a bonsai, and will definitely look great in a common rockery.

It can withstand adverse conditions – heavy soil, air pollution, lack of moisture, extreme frosts. Once established it can take drought all summer long. For best results, however, grow it in medium fertile, well-drained, moist soil. Fully hardy to -40°C (USDA zone 3).


Last update 27-02-2010