“Discover the Ancient Guardians: Unveiling the Secrets of the 8 Oldest Trees on Earth!”
Ever find yourself gazing up at a towering tree and wondering just how long it’s been around? It’s astonishing to think that while we mere mortals may struggle to reach a fraction of a century, there are trees out there that have witnessed thousands of years of history unfold! Yep, those who grew up amidst the whispering leaves and the rustling branches of rural life know the truth: trees can be remarkably long-lived companions. In fact, the average lifespan of a tree is about 300 to 400 years, with some outstanding specimens living over a millennium. Today, let’s dive into the incredible world of ancient trees and explore eight remarkable trees that have truly stood the test of time—some tallying ages that might just make you reconsider your own next birthday! We’ll also peek into the science behind their longevity, known as dendrochronology, which involves counting rings (take that, birthday candles!). So, ready for a journey through the ages? LEARN MORE
Those who grew up on a farm or in a rural setting can testify that trees have some of the longest lifespans. According to arborists, the average lifespan of a tree is 300 to 400 years, with some exceeding a thousand years. Today’s post will list and discuss the oldest trees in the world. Their ages were measured through a process called dendrochronology, which entails collecting a sample and counting the number of rings. Though it’s not 100% accurate because of factors such as tree thickness and rotting, this process provides a detailed estimate. With that in mind, here are eight trees that have withstood the test of time.
1. Prometheus (4,900 Years)
Prometheus tree stump
Before it was cut down in 1964, Prometheus held the record for the oldest living tree in the world. It was located at Wheeler Peak in Nevada and was a Great Basin bristlecone. Donald Currey cut down Prometheus with the intention of collecting samples from the ice age.
Although he had permission to cut it, cutting the tree down has haunted Donald Currey for the longest. After cutting down Prometheus, he counted 4,862 rings, which meant the tree dated back to more than 4,900 years old. Even though Prometheus is no longer alive, a piece of it is kept at the Great Basin Visitor Center in Nevada.
2. Methuselah (4,600 Years)
After Donald Currey cut down Prometheus, Methuselah became the world’s oldest tree, which was aged 4,600. It’s also bristlecone pine. Methuselah was discovered by Edmund Schulman, a renowned tree research scientist who also counted its age by sampling the cores of nearby bristlecones.
It’s located in the Inyo National Forest and sits in a remote location between the Nevada border and California’s Sierra Nevada range. The US Forest Service has kept its exact location a mystery to protect it from tourists who might walk over its roots or touch it. However, if you hike across this trail, you should be able to spot the Methuselah.
3. Alerce Milenario (5,484 Years)
Nicknamed the Great Grandfather or Gran Abuelo in Spanish, the Alerce Milenario is a gigantic tree in the Alerce Costero National Park in Chile. This tree, which is of the Patagonian Cypress species, has a trunk that’s 4.3 meters (14 feet) big and is believed to be more than 5,484 years old.
The answer for those wondering why it comes in third despite being older than the above two trees is because of how its age was calculated. The Alerce Milenario age was calculated using a computer model in 2022 that estimated it to be 5,484 years old. Please note that computer modeling is not an acceptable system by the scientific community. Be as it may, the Alerce Milenario is an ancient tree, and its available for viewing by the public.
4. Sarv-e Abarkuh
The oldest tree in Asia, a cypress, is found in Abarkuh, Iran. With a height of 25 meters (82 feet) and a trunk width of 11.5 meters (38 feet), the Sarv-e Abarkuh is an Iranian National Monument. Researchers estimated that this tree is 4,000 to 4,500 years old.
While it spreads its roots all over the Iranian desert, it gets most of its water from a nearby underground channel. The locals believe that the Sarv-e Abarkuh was planted by the prophet Zoroaster.
5. Giant Sequoia’s (3,266 years)
Anglo-Americans first discovered Giant Sequoias during the gold rush in California. They were fascinated by the massive size of these trees and collected samples to take back to their countries. As early as the 19th century, people had already learned that Giant Sequoias could live for thousands of years.
Towards the end of the Civil War, the General Sherman and General Grant became the two most protected Giant Sequoias in the US. In the late 20th century, Nate Stephenson, a forest ecologist, developed a mathematical formula that dates the oldest Giant Seqouia in California to be more than 3,266 years. The General Sherman was estimated to be 2,150 years old. Unfortunately, most of these tree species were destroyed by the mega-fires in 2020 and 2021.
6. BLK Bald Cypress (2,624 Years)
The oldest known Bald Cypress tree is located in the eastern part of North America alongside North Carolina’s Black River. It was discovered in 2019, and the researchers estimated its age to be 2,624 years. They also found other trees near the BLK Bald Cypress that are older than 2,000 years. Some scientists believe that there may be trees much older than the BLK Bald Cypress along this river. It’s just that not enough research has been done in this area.
7. Qilian Juniper (2,245 Years)
In 2009, a group of researchers discovered the oldest tree in China, which was 2,230 years old. That makes it 2,245 years as of 2024. Qilian Juniper was found in the remote mountain regions of Delingha in Qinghai Province. This was part of a dendrochronological dataset that was done on 98 ancient trees in China that were older than 1,000 years.
8. Pando (80,000 Years)
The reason we listed Pando last is because it’s the oldest clonal colony of Aspen trees on Earth. This is quite different from the above picks, which are individual trees. Spread on a 106-acre piece of land in Utah, this Aspen tree forest comprises a single genetic cell. That is, every trunk is an exact clone of each other.
The Pando has more than 47,000 genetically identical trees, and the colony has existed for over 80,000 years. However, the average lifespan of the individual trees in the Pando is 80 to 130 years old. These trees have been able to survive for so long because of their ability to replace trees when they die. Despite being such a historic gem, the Pando started shrinking in the 1960s due to increased human activity in Utah.
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