For many trees, several hundred years of age is a common occurrence. Centuries-old giants are found among oaks, pines, ash-trees and other species.
For today's Top 10, we chose the oldest trees on the planet, whose age exceeds several thousand years. These venerable old men witnessed the change of generations and eras, and today are surrounded by honor and attention, attracting tourists from around the world.
10. Sequoia General Sherman (USA)
This tree is the largest on earth. The total mass of General Sherman is 1,900 tons, its height is 84 meters, and the trunk girth at the base is 31.3 meters. The age of the giant-longevity exceeds 2,500 years.
9. Fitzroy cypress Alerce (Argentina)
The age of this giant is about 3,600 years. Over the centuries, the tree reached a height of 57.5 meters, and its trunk diameter is 2.3 meters. In the wild, trees of this species grow only in South America.
8. Zoroastrian Sarv (Iran)
The age of this evergreen cypress is 4 thousand years. Tree height - 25 meters, trunk circumference - 18 meters. Iranians have great respect and reverence for Sarw, which is elevated to the rank of a national monument.
7. Pine Methuselah (USA)
This tree is of the “spinous pine” type, growing at an altitude of about 3 thousand meters above sea level. Methuselah is 4,800 years old. This is the oldest tree on Earth not of overgrown origin. In order to protect the tree from vandals, employees of the national park in which it grows show Methuselah only to serious scientists.
6. Pine Prometheus (USA)
Unfortunately, only 5,000 years old remains of this pine tree. The tree was cut down before scientists could estimate its age. However, the researchers hope. That Prometheus will begin to give new shoots in the very near future.
5. Huon pine (Tasmania)
This coniferous plant from the family of myocarpous has a root system with an area of 1 ha and an age of about 10 thousand years. The age of individual shoots is about 3 thousand years.
4. Spruce Old Tjikko (Sweden)
According to the radiocarbon analysis of the tissues of the root system, the age of this spruce is 9,550 years. However, the shoot that emerged from the ancient root system celebrated only the 500th anniversary. Older shoots were probably destroyed by a forest fire centuries ago.
3. Shrub Creosote (USA)
Usually this bushy plant from the species Larrea tridentata reaches about 3 meters in height. In the center of the Mojave Desert, a Creosote bush was discovered with a diameter of more than 20 meters, whose age exceeds 11 thousand years.
2. Oak Jurup (USA)
In the California Valley of Dzhurup, scientists have discovered a huge "stump", from which grows about 70 shoots about a meter high. The age of the stump is about 13 thousand years. Scientists claim that Jurup Oak witnessed the last ice age in Earth’s history.
1. Colony of poplars Pando (USA)
This colony of trees is arguably the longest-living organism on our planet. The age of the root system of these thickets of poplars exceeds 80 thousand years. Although visually Pando resembles a poplar grove of detached trees, the entire colony is a single plant, the total mass of which exceeds 6,600 tons.
