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The Bristlecone Champion – Methuselah Pine
In California’s remote White Mountains stands an ancient bristlecone pine known as Methuselah, with an estimated age of 4,856 years as of 2024. This remarkable tree was discovered in the 1950s by Edmund Schulman, a dendrochronologist who spent every summer from 1939 onward searching for the oldest living trees in the United States. The tree’s ability to thrive in this unforgiving landscape of freezing temperatures, arid soils and relentless winds is the key to its remarkable longevity, drawing sustenance from the most brittle layers of limestone and carbonate rock. The precise locations of these trees are kept secret to protect them from vandalism or damage from over-trampling.
The Secret Record Holder – An Unnamed Bristlecone
An even older specimen of bristlecone sampled by Schulman in the White Mountains before he died was also crossdated by Tom Harlan, but not until 2009, and this sample was also from a living tree, so the tree is aged 5,074 years as of 2024. This unnamed tree is currently the oldest verified living tree in the world. Think about it – this tree was already ancient when the Roman Empire was nothing more than small Italian city-states. Uniquely, the trees’ roots provide nourishment only to the specific section of branches directly above it, ensuring that if a root dies off due to exposure, only the corresponding segment of the tree is affected, allowing the rest to continue growing.
The Challenger from Chile – Alerce Milenario
In Chile, a Patagonian cypress (Fitzroya cupressoides) known as the Alerce Milenario or Gran Abuelo (great grandfather in Spanish) could be 500 years older than reigning champion Methuselah. Environmental scientist Jonathan Barichivich and the researcher who first identified that old alerce had been studying another tree in a Chilean national park, and his colleague has found another alerce stump whose tree rings can all be counted and show it to be about 4,100 years old. It’s found in a ravine, protected from fire and until recently from humans, and Barichivich says his own Chilean grandfather, who worked as a ranger in the park, discovered the tree in the early 1970s.
The Ancient Cypress of Iran – Sarv-e Abarqu
Sarv-e Abarqu stands in Iran in the city of Abarqu in Yazd province, and this ancient cypress has survived for over 4000 years, ranking among the oldest known living trees on Earth. Sarv-e Abarqu reaches over 82 feet in height with a trunk circumference over 38 feet, and the tree remains protected by Iranian cultural heritage authorities. Local traditions link it to early Zoroastrian history, and many call it the Zoroastrian Sarv. Many residents in the region consider it more than a tree – it serves as a living connection to ancient Persia.
The Welsh Wonder – Llangernyw Yew
Although it is very hard to determine the age of yew trees, the churchyard gate holds a certificate from the Yew Tree Campaign in 2002, signed by David Bellamy, which states that “according to all the data we have to hand” the tree is dated to between 4,000 and 5,000 years old. This yew tree lives in the churchyard of St. Digain’s Church in Llangernyw village, and the tree is fragmented and its core part has been lost, leaving several enormous offshoots with a girth of 10.75 meters at ground level. In June 2002, the Tree Council, in celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II designated the Llangernyw Yew tree one of the Fifty Great British trees in recognition of its place in national heritage. According to local tradition, the church of Llangernyw is inhabited by an ancient spirit known as Angelystor (the “Recording Angel” or “Evangelist” in Welsh), and this tradition holds that every year at Halloween a booming voice foretells the names of parishioners who will die the following year.
The Cretan Survivor – Olive Tree of Vouves
The oldest olive tree in the world is located in the village of Ano Vouves of Kissamos in Chania, Crete, Greece, and the ancient tree is 3000 years old, as determined by the international scientific community, with a trunk circumference of 12.5 meters (41 feet), and a diameter of 4.6 meters (15 feet). In 1990, after a unanimous decision in the prefecture of Chania, the Vouves Olive Tree was declared a Natural Monument of great importance due to its status as the world’s oldest tree of its kind, and the fruits of the ancient olive tree produce the best olive oil in the world. The tree still regularly carries olives and its branches are taken as special wreaths of victory at major sporting events, such as the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. At 4,000 years old, it predates historical figures like Alexander the Great (born 356 BCE) and the construction of the Parthenon (begun 447 BCE).
The Brazilian Giant – Patriarca da Floresta
The Patriarca da Floresta rises in the heart of Brazil as a powerful symbol of endurance, and this ancient Cariniana legalis has stood for more than 2,000 years with generations having come and gone beneath its towering branches. Locals regard it with deep respect, often calling it the Father of the Forest, and scientists believe it took root during the rise of the Roman Empire with few natural landmarks in Brazil able to claim such historical depth. This tree, an example of the species Cariniana legalis named Patriarca da Floresta in Brazil, is estimated to be over 2,000 years old, making it the oldest non-conifer in Brazil, and the tree is believed to be sacred, but its species is widely threatened due to forest clearing in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela.
The Japanese Sacred Tree – Jōmon Sugi
Jōmon Sugi, the oldest and largest cryptomeria tree on Yakushima Island, Japan, is at least 2,000 years old and plays a significant role in the island’s recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and this colossal cryptomeria tree holds the distinction of being the largest and most venerable of its kind in the area. Some estimates place its age between 2000 and 7000 years, though most agree it is at least 2000 years old, and few living things in Japan carry the same national and cultural weight. This speculation places it among contenders for the title of the world’s oldest tree, potentially outstripping well-known specimens like Methuselah, and regardless of its exact age, Jōmon Sugi remains an awe-inspiring testament to nature’s longevity and resilience.
The Sicilian Survivor – Chestnut Tree of One Hundred Horses
On the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily stands an extraordinary chestnut tree, and this ancient giant is renowned as the world’s largest and oldest chestnut tree with its age estimated between two to four millennia, a remarkable feat considering its proximity to one of Europe’s most active volcanoes. The tree’s name stems from a captivating tale, and legend has it that during a fierce storm, 100 knights found refuge beneath its sprawling canopy, and this story speaks to the tree’s immense size and the awe it has inspired for generations. This living monument has witnessed countless volcanic eruptions, yet continues to thrive in one of the most geologically active regions of Europe. Its massive trunk has become hollow over the centuries, creating natural chambers that could easily shelter dozens of people.
The Tasmanian Clone Colony – Huon Pine
A colony of Huon pine trees covering 2.5 acres on Mount Read (Tasmania) is estimated to be around 10,000 years old, as determined by DNA samples taken from pollen collected from the sediment of a nearby lake, although individual trees in this group date to no more than 4,000 years old. These ancient trees represent one of the longest-living clonal organisms on Earth, surviving through ice ages and dramatic climate shifts. The individual trees within this colony may die and regenerate, but the root system and genetic lineage remains unbroken across millennia. What’s particularly fascinating is how this grove has maintained its genetic identity for so long while adapting to Tasmania’s changing environment.
These ancient giants stand as living testimony to the resilience of nature, having survived ice ages, volcanic eruptions, droughts, and the rise of human civilization. Each tells a unique story of adaptation and endurance that spans millennia. While we may never know their exact ages with complete certainty, their presence reminds us of the deep time scales on which nature operates, making our own brief existence seem like mere moments in comparison.
