Ginkgo Biloba Princeton Sentry

Ginkgo Biloba Princeton Sentry is an RHS AGM winning tall narrow deciduous tree with attractive fan-shaped leaves. Its straight, clear trunk and columnar growth habit make it a good choice in compact gardens.

Ginkgo Biloba is an ancient species of tree, classified as a conifer, that flourished with the dinosaurs and still grows wild in China. This cultivar Princeton Sentry is a variety of Ginkgo Biloba bred in 1967 in the USA by Princeton Nurseries for its narrow form and pretty fan-shaped two-lobed green leaves that have a yellow border and produce excellent autumn colour turning intense yellow.

Leaves grow in a cluster of 3-5 on upright branches that reach for the sky leaving a single clear trunk beneath. As it matures, the conical shape develops into a more rounded crown. This is a male tree, so it doesn’t produce unpleasant-smelling fruit and because it’s particularly pollution tolerant makes for an excellent street or front garden tree in urban areas. 

Height And Spread of Ginkgo Biloba Princeton Sentry
Maidenhair Tree Princeton Sentry is a slow-growing upright tree that reaches approximately 8 metres in height by 4 metres in spread over 20-50 years.

How Hardy is Ginkgo Biloba Princeton Sentry
Ginkgo Biloba trees are very hardy in minus temperatures if their roots are well-drained. Princeton Sentry also tolerates drought once established and copes well with pollution.

How To Use Ginkgo Biloba Princeton Sentry
This is a beautiful and tough specimen tree and an excellent choice where space is at a premium. It suits small, compact gardens because it grows upwards with a small crown and doesn’t drop sticky, smelly fruit. Front gardens, urban courtyards, and low maintenance spaces all benefit from Maidenhair Tree Princeton Sentry.

How To Care For Ginkgo Biloba Princeton Sentry
Maidenhair Tree Princeton Sentry needs very little maintenance once it’s established. It prefers full sun in either sheltered or exposed spots and tolerates the majority of well-drained soils.

Because it was bred to grow upright and narrow, pruning isn’t required, however, if you want to remove branches do so in the dormant winter months.

Add a thick layer of organic mulch to the roots each year and be sure to water it well until you can see new growth. Lack of water is the biggest killer of new trees, so be sure to give it a full can each week.