The oldest known tree is Methuselah, a Great Basin bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva) located in the White Mountains of eastern California.
Methuselah: A Living Ancient
For a long time, Methuselah was considered the oldest non-clonal tree in the world. Its age, determined through tree-ring data, is approximately 4,853 years as of 2022. This makes it significantly older than many famous historical landmarks, including the pyramids at Giza. The exact location of Methuselah is kept secret to protect it from vandalism.
Important Considerations
It's crucial to understand that there might be older trees that haven't been discovered or accurately dated yet. Also, some clonal colonies of trees, like Pando (a quaking aspen grove in Utah), are much older than individual trees, with estimates placing them at tens of thousands of years old. However, Pando is considered a single organism due to its shared root system.
Summary
While clonal colonies such as Pando might be older, the title of the oldest individual tree currently belongs to Methuselah, a Great Basin bristlecone pine in California.
