Does MSU determine individual tree sex - Ask Extension
I am planning to purchase about 200 Ginko (Ginkgo Biloba) trees seedlings and I am looking for the best way of degerming the sex of these plants. Doe...
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Does MSU determine individual tree sex #922881
Asked December 15, 2025, 2:59 PM EST
I am planning to purchase about 200 Ginko (Ginkgo Biloba) trees seedlings and I am looking for the best way of degerming the sex of these plants. Does MSU or anyone which I can work with regarding this project?
Thank you!
Manistee County Michigan
Expert Response
Hi Keith,
I reached out to the MSU Arborist, Burt Cregg to help answer this question. Below is his reply:
If you have follow up questions, please do reach out to Dr. Cregg, and reference my name and the message you originally sent.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/people/bert_cregg
Thank you!
-Julie Crick
I reached out to the MSU Arborist, Burt Cregg to help answer this question. Below is his reply:
Given the trees are seedlings - not produced from cuttings - presumably there is a 50/50 chance for each tree that it is male or female.
Without male or female flowers, the only way to tell would be through genetic testing. Some labs will do this on a fee-for-service basis. However, this could get spendy - especially for 200 trees. I suggest they check with the lab at UC Davis linked below. There may be some less expensive genetic testing without a full-blown DNA test.
https://fps.ucdavis.edu/dnamain.cfm
If you have follow up questions, please do reach out to Dr. Cregg, and reference my name and the message you originally sent.
https://www.canr.msu.edu/people/bert_cregg
Thank you!
-Julie Crick
