Ginkgo biloba ‘Chi-Chi’ – A Living Fossil in Dwarf Form for Garden or Container

Bring a piece of botanical history into your home or garden with Ginkgo biloba ‘Chi-Chi’, a compact, slow-growing dwarf form of the legendary ginkgo tree – also known as maidenhair tree or Tschi-Tschi in Central Europe. This exceptional cultivar grows to just 1.2–1.5 meters tall over 10 years, with a dense, multi-stemmed, rounded silhouette and fan-shaped elegance that never goes unnoticed.

Our current plants are approx. 80 cm tall including the pot, making them perfect for larger containers, bonsai-style pots, or direct planting into the garden. The plant's unusual bark swellings, clusters of dormant buds that appear after about a decade, are a key characteristic – and the reason behind the cultivar name Chi-Chi, which poetically translates to “breasts.”

In autumn, the deep green, fan-shaped leaves transform into a uniform golden yellow, creating a spectacular seasonal show. This male clone produces no seeds, making it an excellent ornamental tree without the mess or odor of female fruit.

Why Ginkgo 'Chi-Chi'?

• Hardy & Low-Maintenance: Thrives in full sun to partial shade, tolerates urban pollution, compacted soils, and even some drought.

• Medicinal Heritage: Ginkgo is renowned for its cognitive health benefits – we even chew a fresh leaf ourselves each morning to support brain activity.

• Slow-Growing & Easy to Shape: Ideal for bonsai enthusiasts or anyone seeking long-term structure in the garden.

Planted in our hand-mixed, well-draining organic substrate and grown with care at TOMs FLOWer CLUB, you’ll receive exactly the robust, healthy plant shown – organically cultivated, with no over-fertilization.

A Tree with Poetic Roots

Did you know that Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) wrote a poem inspired by the ginkgo leaf? Dedicated to his beloved Marianne von Willemer, it reflects on the tree’s duality and unity — perfectly echoing the mysterious elegance of this ancient species:

This tree leaf, from the east,
To my garden entrusted,
Gives secret sense to taste,
How it edifies the knowing.

Is it a living being
That in itself separates?
Is it two that choose each other,
That they be known as one?

To answer such questions
I found the right sense.
Do you not feel in my songs,
That I am one and double?

Add timeless poetry and resilience to your green space with Ginkgo biloba ‘Chi-Chi’ – a botanical gem with a story, cultivated with care at TOMs FLOWer CLUB.

Available now - directly from our collection to yours.