Oldest Trees in the World
THE OLDEST TREE IN THE WORLD: METHUSELAH TREE
Methuselah is a Great Basin bristlecone pine (pinus longaeva) that is currently, as of this writing, a mind-bending 4,854 years old. Its exact location is kept secret for its safety, but it lies somewhere among the aptly named Methuselah Grove in the White Mountains of eastern California. Methuselah and other bristlecone pines are able to grow so old thanks to many biological adaptations to their harsh environment in the high-altitude, desert regions of the Southeast United States.
They thrive in soils where other trees struggle to grow, their wood is extremely dense and full of resin, and they can lose up to 90% of their bark and still survive. With these adaptations, it’s no wonder Methuselah appears here as the oldest living tree.
METHUSELAH TREE THE OLDEST TREE IN ASIA: CYPRESS OF ABARQU (SARV-E ABARKUH)
The "Cypress of Abarqu", or Sarv-e Abarkuh, is an ancient cyprus tree (Cupressus sempervirens) that is located in the Iranian city of Abarkuh and is estimated to be between 4,000-5,000 years old. This would likely make it the oldest tree in Asia. The cyprus is a particularly notable tree in Iranian history and culture, and appears in Iranian poetry and carvings in Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the ancient Achaemenid Empire, as a symbol of life and beauty.
The origins of the tree, also known as the "Zoroastrian Sar", remains uncertain. Legend has it that the ancient prophet Zoroaster planted the tree while traveling and spreading his teachings. An ancient figure, the Cypress of Abarqu rises above many others to make it onto our list of the oldest trees in the world.
Pando, also known as the "Trembling Giant", is a clonal colony of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) that spans 106 acres of Southern Utah's Fishlake National Forest. What is clonal colony? Unlike the other entries on this list, Pando is not one singular trunk with branches, but instead many biologically identical trunks with a shared root system.
40,000 stems that appear on first glance to be individual trees, each branch of Pando is in fact, a genetically identical part of the same tree connected by a vast underlying root system that could span some 12,000 miles if laid
At 106 acres in size, 13.2 million pounds, and and estimated 8-12,000 years of age, Pando easily dominates this list. While the Pando is undeniably one of nature’s most impressive accomplishments, research suggests that the tree is shrinking in response to a plethora of threats, including overgrazing, and three diseases that commonly plague aspen trees. Thankfully, the Friends of the Pando and the Forest Service are working together to protect this incredible organism.