I don't see much harm in severely trimming the ginkgo each year. First, it's slow growing and second, apparently commercial growers keep their plants more "bush-like" in habit so that they can harvest the leaves (they grow the trees for their herbal leaves.)

If you want additional plants from this tree, however, I think cuttings are your only option (besides suckers, I suppose). Ginkgos usually don't bloom or produce seeds for many many years and even then, even if your tree is female you need a male nearby.

Regarding the sucker, it probably will look unhappy for a while, but as long as it survives that's all that counts. Actually, I didn't realize that ginkgos produce suckers, but that might have been encouraged by your trimming the tree each year.

Glen

Thanks Glen,

I have kept it well watered in the pot and now have tiny little leaves growing from the juction of the wilted one and the branch. None of the old leaves have falled off yet. The ends of the wilted branches are also growing but the branch will deformed.It looks like a weeping ginko tree. Maybe I should keep this one and see what happens to it. At least it hasn't died yet.

You mentioned about cuttings, how would that be done from the ginko tree?

I'm glad something worked.

Thanks,
Lynne

Lynne,

I've yet to try this but if you look a bit there are rooting compounds. I've purchased a bottle and it was around $35 online. From what I've read about it you can take cuttings from the tree or bush and then you dip the freshly cut end into this rooting compound for like 3 to 5 seconds. Then you plant the cutting into a soil, you'll need to look into what type is good for stimulating root growth. Again I don't know this as a fact but I'm going to be trying it here soon on some japanese mapels.

I needed to transplant the potted Ginko into the ground or it would freeze in the pot over the winter. When I removed it I noticed there where some small roots so I did plant it. Unfortunately it did die but seening these roots gives me a better idea of how to take the suckers using the rooting compound and growing right in the ground.
Thanks for the replies.

If you are able to get the root to thrive, why not take a sharp spade or exacto knife and cut the root while still in the ground. Wait for a few weeks to see if the root has continued to grow its own roots. Then remove the sucker to a pot. I read this on a propagation site somewhere. My ginko seeds were bought on ebay. All three are coming up. One already has its 2 leaves!! :)

This was kinda of a hastle getting on....Last weekend I visited a ginko that was transplanted from a 6000 pound stump. It had stayed years on gravel in an equipment yard and started to sprout with loving care. Planted at Reed College in Portland, Oregon. I cut off a sucker of this amazing tree and have it in water. wrote a poem about ginkos and this one in particular. Will forward it if someone is interested. cal7776@budget.net...will need an email address. Cal