I was totally awestruck by the size of this tree. I love ginkgos, their presence is so unique and wonderful in Kansas. Doug Grimm was bringing us back from a field day in Olathe and asked if we wanted to see the state champion ginkgo. Since we all are tree lovers as much as he, we said YES! I tell you now, the state champion ginkgo, in Leavenworth, is a sight to behold. Nothing can compare to seeing a large ginkgo growing in a yard in Kansas. And I have seen many BIG trees since starting to work with Doug Grimm.
Doug’s work with UpShoot and trying to find and develop outstanding trees for the Central Great Plains region has led to the selecting of trees, often from state or national champions. Why choose these trees over others? The reason these trees are champions is because they have outlived other trees and they have survived when nothing else did. It seems only right that we use these trees to produce more trees with superior genetics for our ever changing climate.
The story I heard about Ginkgo ‘Asian Princess’ is a remarkable one. Before the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 and the journey of Lewis & Clark, an Asian Princess and her cavalcade were already exploring much of the Central United States. She stopped in what is now Leavenworth, KS and gifted one of several ginkgo trees to the natives living there. They planted it and the rest is history.
According to records, this may be the oldest ginkgo in North America. However, all trees grow best when planted in the right locations, so it did not grow as well as other ginkgos planted in in more ideal locations, thus it is not big enough to be the national champion. But it is still a remarkable tree, one that I would be very happy to have in my landscape.
The best thing about this special ginkgo, is that it is a male selection. Ginkgo trees are dioecious, meaning that they have male and female reproductive parts on separate plants. When you find an excellent male specimen tree that does not bear its messy fruit, you have a great addition to the landscape. Ginkgos are known for their stinky fruit, often compared to rotting meat. ‘Asian Princess’ is a male selection, so NO messy fruit.
Fall color is another great reason to add this tree to your landscape. Ginkgos are known for their brilliant yellow fall color, with no mussing of browns or reds to distort the coloration.
Contact Grimm’s Gardens today for pricing on ginkgo ‘Asian Princes’.
Happy planting!
You mention the tree grows better in “more ideal locations.” Can you share some of the location preferences of this tree?
Daniel, what that statement means is that Kansas climate is not always the nicest for trees to grow in. We are known as a prairie state for a reason, trees can be difficult to adapt to our climate. The Ginkgo tree is tough and will survive and grow well here. However, ‘Asian Princess’ is not the National Champion tree, because it does not get as much rainfall and a steady a climate as the national champion ginkgo does. That being said, it grows great in a variety of locations.
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