QQ, I was pulling your leg - I wasn't offended so no need to apologize :-) You do make some valid points. I certainly can't speak to the knowledge base of nursery sales staff across the country and no doubt there are nurseries everywhere that have their share of less-than-well-informed employees. The nursery that is referred to in the original post of this thread is a case in point. One thing to consider is that to the customer, anyone working at a nursery is considered by them to be a "plant person" - this includes even the temporary seasonal staff, often high school kids hired to water, stock or run errands and load cars. And I can't tell you how many times I've encountered frustrated customers trying to ask plant questions of our Guatemalan production crew, who barely speak English. As to why don't more nursery employees participate on these forums, I can't answer that question. Maybe they don't care to admit to it, as iVillage does have restrictions regarding business interests and they think that revealing their occupation somehow violates this restriction. Or perhaps it is a time factor. Personally, I am a self-admitted plant geek and reading about, growing and discussing plants absorbs me more than it probably should. I am a bit obsessive about learning about plants and the forums are a constant learning experience for me as well as place to share the modest amount I do know. And the "We don't carry those. They don't grow here." statement is more relevant than you might think. Customers ask for the strangest things and at the oddest times of year (I had someone in looking for basil last week - last frost is not until early May). I might modify that to read "We don't carry those, they tend not to do well in our area", or won't survive the winter, or they're considered invasive or too disease-prone, etc., etc.

It may be in a slightly windier place than the other cultivar, it may in fact not be hardy, it may..... I would build it a shelter this fall, out of 3-4 poles tall enough to extend above the top of the ginkgo and be buried enough to be stable, burlap or chicken wire around the outside and stuffed with straw or leaves. If you REALLY want to, you could then wrap the whole thing in plastic, but I think that would be overkill. I THINK that once it gets some height on it, and a good branch scaffold, it will not die to the ground in winter, but I think I would plant on wrapping it again next winter, just to be safe. You may still have to deal with some winter-killed branches/twigs, but the tree as a whole SHOULD come through fine, if it is in fact hardy. I am having to do the same thing for several figs - the area they are in is otherwise the best area for them, but the winter winds are killing them off and they have to regrow annually. Needless to say, I haven't had any figs in the 3 years they have been in the ground - they do make some little ones in late summer, but they don't have time to ripen!

Klehm's states that the growth rate is approximately 7-8' tall and 6' wide in five years. I think that would put it well out of dwarf range. Since it will be small to start with, I plan on putting it in a small container and continue to pot up, eventually to a have a large container for my deck. There are two large maples in my yard that may need to come down - one has a large split near the base and the other is in the way of a possible addition we're thinking about. Either way, if the 'Magestic Butterfly' really takes off growth-wise, I have spots where it can go. It seems there are a few gingkos that have slow growth rates and will mature much smaller, but I'm not sure 'Majestic Butterfly' is one of those. Elizabeth

Dave, that Ginkgo sure is beautiful. It does have such a nice shape. I love seeing your gardens Dave. You have one of the most artistic eyes. This spring when I dig up another bed I hope you will help me place some of my plants. Wish you lived close by. Thanks for sharing your photos. The blues and yellows really pop out so nicely in your gardens.