Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Ginkgo 'Mariken' (Ginkgo biloba 'Mariken')cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Mariken dwarf ginkgo.

More about ginkgo 'mariken'

About Ginkgo 'Mariken'

Ginkgo biloba 'Mariken' · also called Mariken dwarf ginkgo · flowering

A dwarf, naturally bushy ginkgo discovered as a witch's-broom mutation in the Netherlands in 1995. It forms a compact, slightly weeping mound of fan-shaped leaves that blaze golden in autumn, and is often top-grafted as a standard. An RHS Award of Garden Merit plant, it suits containers, rock gardens, bonsai and small spaces.

Cold limit: USDA 4-8 (outdoor; pots may need winter protection in coldest zones) · RHS H6 (-30 to 35°C)

Watch for — Late frost on new growth: Soft spring leaves may brown after a hard late frost, but the plant simply pushes new growth and recovers.

What ginkgo 'mariken''s hardiness rating actually means

Yes — ginkgo 'mariken' is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H6 and USDA 4-8 (outdoor; pots may need winter protection in coldest zones), it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. Its RHS rating of H6 means: Hardy throughout the UK and northern Europe. On the US scale that maps to USDA 4-8 (outdoor; pots may need winter protection in coldest zones) — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −20 to −15 °C. Ginkgo 'Mariken' is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

Concretely, for ginkgo 'mariken' as it gets too cold:

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 to −15 °C once established.
Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root.
First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.

Can ginkgo 'mariken' go outside or overwinter — and where?

Plant it out within USDA 4-8 (outdoor; pots may need winter protection in coldest zones) and it overwinters with little or no help.
It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy.
The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when ginkgo 'mariken' can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H6 figure above.

Ginkgo 'Mariken' hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is ginkgo 'mariken' cold hardy?

Yes — ginkgo 'mariken' is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H6 and USDA 4-8 (outdoor; pots may need winter protection in coldest zones), it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. An outdoor plant. Ginkgo 'Mariken' is hardy across USDA 4-8 (outdoor; pots may need winter protection in coldest zones); it belongs in the ground or a frost-proof container, not on a windowsill, and many types actively need a cold winter to perform.

What is the minimum temperature ginkgo 'mariken' can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −20 to −15 °C. Ginkgo 'Mariken' is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

What hardiness zone is ginkgo 'mariken'?

Ginkgo 'Mariken' is rated USDA 4-8 (outdoor; pots may need winter protection in coldest zones) and RHS H6 — Hardy throughout the UK and northern Europe.

Can ginkgo 'mariken' survive winter outside?

Plant it out within USDA 4-8 (outdoor; pots may need winter protection in coldest zones) and it overwinters with little or no help. It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy. The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

What happens to ginkgo 'mariken' below its minimum temperature?

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 to −15 °C once established. Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root. First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.