Dear all, I have a limited supply of Ginkgo biloba seeds from Japan. My purpose is to germinate the seeds and hopefully establish some G. biloba specimens in Costa Rica. What could be the best treatment to trigger germination and subsequently favor the seedling establishment and survival? I have access to these elevations for this purpose: 600, 1200, and 2300 masl. I have been told that the highlands (> 2000 masl) might be best. If you know a few tricks of the trade that you could share, that will save me a lot of time and effort, and some seeds too. The tropics could be challenging for temperate gymnosperms.
See: https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/seed-storage/ginkgo-biloba/
for pretreatment of Ginkgo biloba seeds for germination.
And see: https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_other/wo_AgricHandbook727/wo_AgricHandbook727_559_561.pdf
for details about Ginkgo biloba seed germination and seedling growth :)
J Feng · 2018 · Cited by 5 — The embryos of Ginkgo biloba L. are generally reported to undergo ... Without pretreatment, seed germination was 82.57% within four weeks at 25 °C.
Ginkgo biloba seeds are considered to be recalcitrant ( Liang and Sun, 2002), germinating without delay may be the best option
Few years ago, I made a germination test of Ginkgo seeds (it was a leisure time activity, not considered a scientific experiment).
Seeds were collected under two mother plants from two separate gardens in Budapest (Hungary), in autumn. The fleshy seed coat was removed and the seeds were washed clean. Seeds were kept in refrigerator at +5 Celsius for 15 weeks. Next year on 2nd April, 18 seeds per mother plant were sown two centimeters deep in flower pots filled with normal potting soil. Fower pots were placed in an unheated greenhouse. Until 25th May, 11 seeds germinated for mother plant-1 and 14 seeds for mother plant-2. Germination rate 61% and 78%, respectively. Until 28th June one more seedling emerged for mother plant-1, then the "experiment" was terminated.
Dear all, just wanted to let you know that Ginkgo seeds are germinating after a week of exposure to 18-28oC, and are growing on regular soil in plastic bags in a greenhouse at 600 masl in Atenas, Alajuela... I am keeping some seeds at 5oC and in darkness but it is evident they can germinate right away. The next step is to make sure the seedlings survive... and that will be my next question.
Dear Geraldo, thank you for informing as about recent germination results of your Ginkgo seeds. It is interesting that Ginkgo had a narrow distribution range at the time of its discovery but now it grows well in several countries in every continents under a wide range of environmental conditions.
Procedure to Plant Ginkgo biloba:
Seeds use either moistened horticultural sand or a sand and perlite mixture. Other recommendations are peat moss or vermiculite. Scrub your pots and fill them with pre-moistened medium. Plant seeds shallowly, until just covered. Cover the container with a clear plastic bag and place in a warm location. Keep the medium moderately moist. Expect germination in 30 to 60 days. Remove the bags once you see sprouts. It can take up to 20 years for your little tree to fruit on its own, but it will make a lovely houseplant for several years before you transplant it outdoors to grow to maturity.
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