Ginkgo Biloba Saratoga Maidenhair Tree

Ginkgo Biloba Saratoga, also known as the Saratoga Maidenhair Tree, is a refined male cultivar of the ancient Ginkgo tree, distinguished by its graceful branching and unusually narrow fan-shaped foliage. It offers a soft, architectural silhouette and a spectacular golden autumn colour, making it a superb ornamental tree for smaller gardens or urban settings. As a male variety, ‘Saratoga’ does not produce fruit, avoiding the unpleasant odour sometimes associated with female Ginkgos.

Attractive Foliage – Narrower Leaves than Other Ginkgos
Unlike the standard Ginkgo species, Ginkgo biloba ‘Saratoga’ features slender, deeply lobed leaves that give the tree a delicate, almost fern-like appearance. The leaves emerge a fresh light green in spring, turning deeper green through summer, before erupting into a dazzling yellow in autumn. The narrow leaf shape is one of its key distinguishing features, giving this deciduous tree an elegant, lacy texture more pronounced than in other Ginkgo cultivars.

Broad Spreading Form – Distinct from Upright or Dwarf Types
This variety is particularly notable for its broadly spreading habit, contrasting with the upright, columnar form of Ginkgo biloba ‘Princeton Sentry’ and the dwarf, rounded shape of Ginkgo Biloba Mariken. Saratoga Maidenhair Tree forms a balanced, open crown with horizontal branches, making it ideal as a specimen tree in lawned areas or more informal garden settings.

Height and Eventual Width of Saratoga Maidenhair Tree
A low-maintenance and pollution-tolerant tree, Ginkgo biloba ‘Saratoga’ is well suited for city gardens, courtyards, and avenues. Its tidy, slow-growing nature and eventual moderate size (up to 6–9 metres high and wide) make it a good choice where space is limited but seasonal interest is desired. As a male clone, it is fruitless – a major advantage in public or paved areas.

Hardy, Resilient & Long-Lived
One of the oldest tree species on earth, the Ginkgo is extremely hardy – thriving in UK gardens in all but the most extreme conditions (hardy to below -20°C). ‘Saratoga’ is propagated specifically as a male tree, ensuring that no malodorous fruit is produced.

Ginkgo Biloba Saratoga Key Facts:

• Foliage: Narrow, fan-shaped leaves; brilliant yellow in autumn
• Form: Broad, spreading shape with horizontal branching
• Hardiness: Fully hardy in the UK
• Height and Spread: 6–9m high × 6–9m wide at maturity
• Position: Full sun; tolerates a wide range of soils
• Rate of Growth: Slow to moderate
• Special Features: Non-fruiting male form; elegant leaf shape; excellent autumn colour
• Uses: Ideal specimen tree for gardens, parks, urban landscapes
• Awards: AGM Award of Garden Merit from the RHS

Care Advice
Plant in a sunny spot in well-drained soil. Ginkgo trees are slow to establish but require little maintenance once settled. Prune only to remove dead or crossed branches. The absence of fruit makes ‘Saratoga’ especially suitable for patios, pathways, or anywhere cleanliness and scent are concerns.