The oldest living tree in the world can be found in California's White Mountain Range. This Bristlecone pine tree (Pinus Longaeva) is currently listed as over 4,700 years old. While it's not always easy to fully understand and know how old a tree is, most experts are agreeing that this tree, called Methuselah, is the oldest living tree at this current moment.
This tree was found by Dr. Edmund Schulman from the United States of America, and was originally dated in 1957. Researchers have been working with this tree ever since and have continued to work to confirm the age of this tree.. While we know Methuselah is the oldest living tree, the location of this tree is not publicly shared due to the fear of vandalism and damage. However, pictures and images of these trees can be found through the internet for your viewing.
An interesting fact about the Methuselah tree is that it is not classified as a “clone” tree, but instead it is an individual tree that has exceeded a lifespan of 3,000 to 4,000 years old. This is not impossible, but it is a rare sight for an individual tree. Another Bristlecone Pine was cut down in 1964, and was found to be nearly 4,900 years old. This tree was grown in Nevada and was nicknamed Prometheus.
The tree is located in a forest east of Yosemite National Park and north of Death Valley National Park and sits at an elevation of 11,000 feet. It is a very desolate environment however, this environment has proven to be perfect for the Bristlecone Pine to grow and thrive. Experts are saying that since little else can grow in that area, trees have an ideal environment for growth.. They do not have to compete for water and nutrients and can freely spread around in their area without having to adapt based on other plants that are around. Robert Mohlenbrock, professor of botany in Illinois thought that because the tree had thrived for so long, it had to have ideal conditions for it to survive, but the reality is that the desert is quite a harsh place for this tree to survive but it has pushed through and stood the test of time.
The Methuselah tree has been dated to a time before Egyptian Pyramids were even created, and about the time the wheel would have been invented. This makes the world's oldest tree incredibly valuable for experts to research and study.
The Methuselah tree is truly a marvel of this world. It is a mystery and amazing that it has survived for over 4,000 years and is still standing strong today. While you may not be able to visit this tree, let this tree be an inspiration to you that once we take care of our environment, nature will thrive and produce some pretty spectacular sights.
