General Care Guide for Ginkgo Biloba Bonsai
The Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is a unique, ancient deciduous tree prized for its fan-shaped leaves and brilliant golden autumn colour. It is highly resilient and generally easy to care for but requires specific management to achieve good bonsai form.2
General Health Requirements
- Hardiness: Extremely hardy and requires a mandatory, full cold dormancy period.
- Sun Exposure: Full Sun (6+ hours per day) is essential during the growing season. Full sun promotes vigour and supports the necessary heavy pruning.
- Vigour: Ginkgo is naturally very vigorous, making it an excellent species for rapid trunk thickening but requiring constant management of its growth.
- Pests/Disease: Highly resistant to most pests and diseases.
Seasonal Care Summary
Aspect, Timing & Requirements, Key Goal
Watering
Spring/Summer: Water thoroughly when the surface of the soil is dry. Needs high water volume during active growth. Winter: Water sparingly; keep soil barely moist during dormancy.
Support high summer growth; prevent desiccation in winter.
Feeding
Spring/Summer: Heavy, consistent feeding from spring until late summer.
Maximise growth and fuel the aggressive cut-and-grow cycle.
Pruning
Structural Pruning (Winter/Early Spring): Remove large branches and reduce the apex during dormancy. Maintenance Pruning (Summer): Allow shoots to extend, then cut back hard to 1–2 nodes to set taper and increase ramification.
Set trunk taper and promote dense branch structure.
Wiring
Avoid heavy wiring on mature wood. The wood is brittle and scars easily. Use wiring primarily on young, pliable green shoots in spring. Alternative: Use the cut-and-grow method exclusively for shaping.
Set direction on new growth; prevent scarring.
Repotting
Every 2–3 years in early spring (just before buds swell). Prune heavy roots conservatively.
Renew soil and promote fine root growth.