The Oldest Trees in the World

Trees are ancient organisms. They have a very long development history, but some of the oldest trees in the world supervised the rise and fall of some of the greatest empires in the history of mankind.

These wonderful plants provide us with oxygen, food, and raw materials today, and their ancestors have helped us nourish and build our civilizations for thousands of years.

The next list is some of the oldest trees in the world, all depicting ancient life. Many of these trees can live much longer if left to their devices.

What was the first tree on earth?

Trees are considered one of the oldest organisms on this planet. It has developed for the first time in about 370 million years, and it is currently estimated that there are more than 3 trillion mature trees in the world. The oldest forms of trees in the fossil registry are the fractures of the trees, the horse’s tail, and the lumbrical plants. These plants have evolved at some point in the carbon era.

However, there may be some evidence that pushes its development to about 15 million years ago in the Middle Divoni—nearly 385 million years ago. A fossa called New York State that could be the oldest tree has been found at all.

Like many early plants of this period, these early trees produced Dawood instead of seeds like modern trees.

Trees varied later throughout medieval eternity, where one sex is still present (Ginkophyta), present in one form today called (Ginkgo Biloba). This is one of the live fossils and has almost changed since the Triassic era.

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1. It is believed that this is the oldest tree and is characterized by the purest genes in the world

In 2008, one tree was found in Dalarna, Sweden, to be the oldest tree in the world. This tree, called “Old Tjikko,” is an ancient tree.

Technically, this tree is the oldest individual in the colony of trees. Cloned trees, such as resin, can multiply using their root systems to produce new offspring.

The carbon history of the tree indicates that it is at least 9,550 years old. This is nearly twice the previous record in North America.

Interestingly, it was previously believed that the fir trees were new expatriates to Sweden. This discovery completely removed this theory.

Other adjacent trees are found to be the same age and, most importantly, of the same genetic composition as ancient trees. Scientists have also found groups of other spruce trees from Lapland to Dalarna that generally exceed 8,000 years old.

Some of these plants are very resistant.

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2. Some of the illegal trees, which are some of the oldest trees in the world

While the discovery of “Old Tjikko” is impressive, there is a much older colony worldwide. This colony, called “Pando” or “Trembling Giant,” consists of more than 40,000 unique trees, has a special gene, and the entire colony is believed to be over 80,000 years old.

The colony consists of Quaking Aspen (Populus Tremuloides), located in the Fishlake National Forest in south-central Utah. Not only are they ancient, but these super-dense organisms are estimated to weigh about 13 million pounds, or 5,896,701 kg.

It is spread over a total area of 106 acres and is believed to have originated at the end of the last ice age. While the oldest individual trees in a colony are rarely more than 130 years old, the entire colony has been shown to be quite old. Its enormous size, weight, and age have made Bando famous throughout the world. Unfortunately, recent studies and analyses indicate that the colony is in decline. This is due to a lack of regeneration, insects, diseases, and environmental factors.

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3. It is believed that this tree was planted by Zoroaster and is one of the oldest trees

The Abarkuh Cypress is also believed to be one of the oldest trees in the world. It was estimated to be between 4,000 and 5,000 years old.

The tree has been cultivated for many years, so it is very difficult to be completely sure of its exact age. Local legend suggests that the tree was planted by none other than the Iranian prophet Zoroaster. This prophet went on to formulate and still practice the first recognized monotheistic religion (Zoroastrianism), which is widely believed to be an inspiration for later Abrahamic religions.

As you might expect, the tree is a protected national monument. It is also one of the most famous attractions in the city of Abarku, where it is located.

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4. Bristlecone pine, not yet confirmed as the oldest individual tree

The unnamed bristlecone (pinus longaeva) may be the large pond pine (the largest single tree in the world). It was originally identified by Edmund Shulman and excavated in the 1950s, but it did not have opportunities to age before his death in 1958.

The tree’s age was later determined in 2010 by Tom Harlan, who was working on specimens Shulman had collected before his death. The tree is still alive and dates back more than 5,060 years. However, as of 2017, it has not been possible to confirm the age of this tree. The core was dated by Tom Harlan because it was not located in a research laboratory.

This brings this entire claim into question, but this is definitely a very old tree, no matter how you cut it down.

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5. “Prometheus” is a truly ancient tree!

Unfortunately, the tree died in 1964. It was located in a grove of several other ancient trees in Wheeler Park, Nevada. In 1964, a geographer, Ronald R. Corey, was granted permission to install the core of a tree that he suspected was more than 4,000 years old. The circumstances behind the tree’s demise are a bit hazy. Whatever the case, the tree was cut down, and a core sample was obtained as soon as it fell.

The tree’s true age was not determined until later, but by then it was too late to save this ancient tree. The researchers were able to count the tree’s rings and found that it was about 4,860 years old. Some have even raised this estimate to around 4,900 years ago because it may not have grown a ring every year due to the region’s harsh climate conditions in the past.

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6. Methuselah—a strange name indeed!

Named after the long-lived biblical figure Methuselah (who, according to law, lived for 969 years), it was founded in 1957 by Edmund Shulman. She was found to be 4,789 years old at the time. Its exact location is kept secret from the general public to prevent any danger, such as vandalism. But it is located somewhere in the White Mountains of Inyo County, California.

It is also in good company with various other ancient trees surrounding it. Based on the age of the tree, it is estimated that the “Methuselah” sprouted around 2832 BC, making it older than the famous Egyptian pyramids. Honestly, that’s not true at all when you think about it.

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7. Llangernyw Yew is one of the oldest trees in Europe

Llangernoy is an ancient yew tree in St. Deegan’s churchyard in the idyllic Welsh village of Llangernoy in Conwy, North Wales. Its exact age is disputed, but it bears a certified certificate stating that “according to all the data we have to hand over,” the tree is between 4,000 and 5,000 years old.

Other theories suggest that the tree is actually much younger, being around 1,500 years old. It is very difficult to narrow this down further because the tree has become so fragmented with so many enormous branches. It has a truly massive circumference, with the tree measuring 10.75 meters in diameter at its base. Given its current extent, the core (or oldest part of the tree) is nearly impossible to determine.

Besides, the legend says that the tree is linked to a character from ancient Welsh mythology. It is associated in legend with a special spirit called the “Angelystor” (“Recording Angel”) who visits every Halloween to predict which parishioner will die the following year.

8. “The Senator” The Senator was one of the oldest trees in the world before she suddenly died

One of the oldest trees in the world was the “Senator” in Big Tree Park, Longwood, Florida. Before its destruction, it was the largest and oldest known bald cypress tree in the world. Before its untimely death, the tree was thought to be about 3,500 years old. If true, this would make it one of the ten oldest trees in the entire world.

Legend has it that the tree was used as a landmark by Native Americans in the area. And has been a popular tourist attraction since the late 1900s. In 2012, the tree was destroyed by fire. Firefighters struggled to control the blaze, and the tree eventually succumbed to the inferno. The tree was originally thought to have been struck by fire. But it was later discovered that the “Senator” was the victim of arson.

9. “El Gran Abuelo” Gran Abuelo comes from Chile

“El Gran Abuelo” is one of the oldest trees in the world (meaning “great-grandfather” in Spanish). Located in Alerce Costero National Park, Cordillera Pelada, Los Ríos, Chile, this tree is believed to be approximately 3,650 years old. It is a very large and ancient Patagonian tree and is a local celebrity (of the tree).

Scientifically called Fitzroya Cupressoides, this species was named by the one and only Charles Darwin in honor of the captain of his ship, Robert Fitzroy. ‘El Gran Abuelo’ and the rest of its species are native to the southern Andes of Chile and Argentina and can easily reach a height of 60 meters.

10. ‘Jurupa Oak’ The Jurupa Oak is also an old-timer when it comes to trees

The Jurupa Oak is another of the oldest and most beautiful trees in the world. It is a clone colony of the Quercus palmeri (Palmer’s Oak) tree and can be found in the Jurupa Mountains in Crestmoor Heights, Riverside County, California.

A scientific study of the cloned colony estimates it to be at least 13,000 years old but is likely older. It was first discovered by botanist Merch Provence in the 1990s. These colonies only grow after forest fires, when the burned branches sprout new shoots. If the age is correct, it means that it began growing during the Ice Age and was able to withstand various climate fluctuations over the centuries.

11. Another very ancient tree is “The Tree of One Hundred Horses.”

Finally, another of the oldest trees in the world is the Hundred Horse Tree. Called Castagno dei Cento Cavalli in Italian, it is located on Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy, and is also one of the oldest chestnut trees in the world. The tree is believed to be between 2,000 and 4,000 years old, which is impressive since Mount Etna is actually an active volcano. In fact, it is only about 8 kilometers from the crater.

Technically a member of the sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) species, it also has one of the largest tree galls in the world. The tree’s name allegedly originates from a legend in which a young Joan (Giovanna) of Aragon, Queen of Naples, and her company of one hundred bodyguards were captured during a trip to Mount Etna in a severe thunderstorm. According to the story, the queen and her entire squad of soldiers took shelter under the tree.