List of oldest trees

Pando, an 80,000-year-old colony of quaking aspen, is the oldest known clonal tree, located in Utah, United States

This is a list of the oldest known trees, as reported in reliable sources. Definitions of what constitutes an individual tree vary. In addition, tree ages are derived from a variety of sources, including documented "tree-ring" count core samples, and from estimates. For these reasons, this article presents three lists of "oldest trees," each using varying criteria.

There are three tables of trees, which are listed by age and species. The first table includes trees for which a minimum age has been directly determined, either through counting or cross-referencing tree rings or through radiocarbon dating. Many of these trees may be even older than their listed ages, but the oldest wood in the tree has rotted away. For some old trees, so much of the centre is missing that their age cannot be directly determined. Instead, estimates are made based on the tree's size and presumed growth rate. The second table includes trees with these estimated ages. The last table lists clonal colonies in which no individual tree trunks may be remarkably old but in which the organism as a whole is thought to be very old.

The current record-holders for individual, non-clonal trees are the Great Basin bristlecone pine trees from California and Nevada, in the United States. Through tree-ring cross-referencing, they have been shown to be more than five millennia old.

A clonal colony can survive for much longer than an individual tree. A colony of 47,000 quaking aspen trees (nicknamed "Pando"), covering 106 acres (43 ha) in the Fishlake National Forest of Utah, is considered one of the oldest and largest organisms in the world. The colony has been estimated to be 80,000 years old, although tree ring samples date individual, above-ground, trees at only an average of about 130 years.^[1][2][3][4] A colony of Huon pine trees covering 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) 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. Individual trees in this group date to no more than 4,000 years old, as determined by tree ring samples.^[5]

Individual trees with verified ages

Name	Age (years)	Species	Location	Country	Notes
?	5,066	Great Basin bristlecone pine Pinus longaeva	White Mountains, California	United States	Oldest known currently living tree. Tree cored by Edmund Schulman, age determined by Tom Harlan.[6]
Methuselah	4,848[nb 1]	Great Basin bristlecone pine Pinus longaeva	Inyo County, California	United States	[6]
Prometheus (WPN-114)	4,844	Great Basin bristlecone pine Pinus longaeva	Wheeler Peak, Nevada	United States	Cut down in 1964.[6]
Gran Abuelo	3,645	Patagonian cypress Fitzroya cupressoides	Cordillera Pelada, Los Ríos	Chile	Alive.[6][8] Located within Alerce Costero National Park.[9]
Oliveira do Mouchão (KNJ1/601)	3,350	European olive tree Olea europea L. var. europaea	Mouriscas, Abrantes	Portugal	Alive.[10] [11]
CBR26	3,266	Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum	Sierra Nevada, California	United States	Dead.[6]
D-21	3,220	Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum	Sierra Nevada, California	United States	Dead.[6]
The President	3,200	Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum	Sierra Nevada, California	United States	Alive.[6]
D-23	3,075	Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum	Sierra Nevada, California	United States	Dead.[6]
CMC 3	3,033	Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum	Sierra Nevada, California	United States	Dead.[6]
Scofield Juniper	2,675	Western Juniper Juniperus occidentalis	Sierra Nevada, California	United States	Dead.[6]
CB-90-11	2,459	Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine Pinus aristata	central Colorado	United States	[6][12]
Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi	2,302	Sacred fig Ficus religiosa	Anuradhapura, North Central Province	Sri Lanka	A sapling from the historical Bodhi tree under which the Buddha became enlightened. It was planted in 288 BC and is the oldest living human-planted tree in the world with a known planting date.[6]
?	2,200	Coast Redwood Sequoia sempervirens	northern California	United States	Dead.[6]
Bennett Juniper	2,200	Western Juniper Juniperus occidentalis	Sierra Nevada, California	United States	[6]
SHP 7	2,110	Foxtail Pine Pinus balfouriana	Sierra Nevada California	United States	[6]
?	1,943	Subalpine Larch Larix lyallii	Kananaskis, Alberta	Canada	[6][13]
CRE 175	1,889	Rocky Mountain Juniper Juniperus scopulorum	northern New Mexico	United States	[6]
Miles Juniper	1,828	Western Juniper Juniperus occidentalis	Sierra Nevada, California	United States	[6][14]
?	1,805	Sugi Cryptomeria japonica	Yakushima Island	Japan	[15]
KET 3996	1,718	Limber Pine Pinus flexilis	Ketchum, Idaho	United States	[6][16]
BFR-46	1,697	Limber Pine Pinus flexilis	Wasatch Mountains, Utah	United States	[6]
FL117	1,678	Northern Whitecedar Thuja occidentalis	Ontario	Canada	[6][17]
ERE	1,670	Limber Pine Pinus flexilis	northern New Mexico	United States	[6]
RCR 1	1,666	Foxtail Pine Pinus balfouriana	Sierra Nevada, California	United States	[6]
?	1,661	Limber Pine Pinus flexilis	South Park, Colorado	United States	[6]
BBL 2	1,649	Foxtail Pine Pinus balfouriana	Sierra Nevada, California	United States	[6]
BCK 69	1,650	Baldcypress Taxodium distichum	Bladen County, North Carolina	United States	[6][18]
?	1,636	Nootka Cypress Callitropsis nootkatensis	Vancouver Island	Canada	[6]
FL101	1,567	Northern Whitecedar Thuja occidentalis	Ontario	Canada	[6]
?	1,542	Limber Pine Pinus flexilis	central Colorado	United States	[6]

Old trees with estimated ages

Note: The ages of the trees in this list are speculative and probably unreliable.

Name	Age (years)	Species	Location	Country	Notes
?	4,112	Yew Taxus baccata	Zonguldak	Turkey	Alive, found in 2016.[19]
Llangernyw Yew	4,000–5,000	Common Yew Taxus baccata	Llangernyw, Conwy	North Wales	Girth of 10.75m. Situated in the churchyard of St. Dygain's Church in Llangernyw village. One of the 50 Great British Trees.
Sarv-e Abarkuh	4,000	Mediterranean cypress Cupressus sempervirens	Abarkuh, Yazd	Iran	Also called "Zoroastrian Sarv",[20][21]
The Senator	3,500	Pond cypress Taxodium ascendens	Longwood, Florida	United States	Destroyed by fire on January 16, 2012[22][23]
Alishan Sacred Tree	3,000	Formosan cypress Chamaecyparis formosensis	Alishan National Scenic Area, Chiayi	Taiwan	Collapsed on July 1, 1997, following heavy rainstorms.[24]
S’Ozzastru	3,000–4,000	Olive Olea europaea	Luras, Sardinia	Italy	[25]
Patriarca da Floresta	3,000	Cariniana legalis	Santa Rita do Passa Quatro	Brazil	Probably the oldest non-conifer in Brazil. Its name translates as "Patriarch of the Forest".
Raintree	3,000	Great Basin bristlecone pine	Spring Mountains, Nevada	United States	Great Basin Bristlecone Pine located near Kyle Canyon in the Spring Mountain range in Southern Nevada, USA. Estimated 3000 years old but never cored.
Oliveira de Santa Iria de Azóia	2,850	Olive Olea europaea	Santa Iria de Azóia, Loures, Lisbon	Portugal	Magnificent Olive tree, probably the last one from a large olive grove. Studied by UTAD University and now classified "Public interest tree" by the Portuguese National Forest Authority ; Tree ID [26]
Mother of the Forest	2,520	Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum	Calaveras Big Trees State Park, California	United States	Dead.
Kayano Ōsugi	2,300	Japanese cedar Cryptomeria japonica	Yamanaka Onsen, Ishikawa	Japan	Girth of 9.6 m. One of the four trees believed to be sacred in the precincts in a Shinto shrine. Its name translates as "Great Sugi of Kayano".
Jōmon Sugi	2,170–7,200	Japanese cedar Cryptomeria japonica	Yakushima	Japan	Girth of 16.4 m. Exact dating is made difficult by the rotten core of the trunk. Its name is a reference to the Jōmon period of Japanese prehistory.[27][28][29]
Koca Katran	2,022	Pinaceae Cedrus liban	Antalya	Turkey	Alive.[30]
Ballyconnell Yew	2,000–5,000	Yew Taxus baccata	Ballyconnell, Annagh	Ireland	Oldest tree in Ireland and possibly in Europe.
Fortingall Yew	2,000–3,000	Yew Taxus baccata	Fortingall, Perthshire	Scotland	Possibly the oldest tree in Britain[31]
Elia Vouvon	2,000–5,000	Olive Olea europaea	Kolymvari, Crete	Greece	Its name translates as "Olive Tree of Vouves".[32]
Castagnu dê Centu Cavaddi	2,000–4,000	Sweet chestnut Castanea sativa	Sicily	Italy	Its name translates as the "Hundred Horse Chestnut".
Ulleungdo Hyangnamu	2,000–3,000	Chinese Juniper Juniperus chinensis	Ulleung-gun, Gyeongbuk	South Korea	Girth of 4.5 m. One of the main branch was broken in 1985 by typhoon "Brenda".
Lady Liberty	2,000	Bald cypress Taxodium distichum	Longwood, Florida	United States	Sometimes called the "Companion Tree" to 'Senator".
Tnjri	2,000	Oriental plane Platanus orientalis	Martuni Region	Nagorno-Karabakh Republic	Oldest tree in Nagorno-Karabakh. Its trunk is hollow. Also known as "Sose's Tree".
Stara Maslina	2,000	Olive Olea europaea	Stari Bar, Bar	Montenegro
The Pechanga Great Oak Tree	2,000	Coast live oak Quercus agrifolia	Temecula, California	United States	Oldest oak tree in the United States, possibly in the world.
?	2,000	Olive Olea europaea	Tavira, Algarve	Portugal	Possibly oldest olive tree in Portugal.[33]
?	2,000	Olive Olea europaea	Exo Hora, Zakynthos	Greece	[34]
?	2,000	Yew Taxus	Sochi, Krasnodar Krai	Russia	A grove known to possess several 2,000-year-old specimens.[35]
Houkisugi at Nakagawa	2,000	Japanese cedar Cryptomeria japonica	Nakagawa Settlement, Yamakita town, Ashigarakami District, Kanagawa Prefecture	Japan
Methuselah	1,800	Coast redwood Sequoia sempervirens	Woodside, California	United States	[36]
Araucaria Madre	1,800	Araucaria Araucana	Araucanía	Chile	Located in Parque Nacional Conguillío. 1.800 rings account for at least 1.800 years.[37]
Granit oak	1,700	Pedunculate oak Quercus robur	Granit	Bulgaria
Kongeegen	1,500–2,000	Pedunculate oak Quercus robur	Jægerspris Nordskov, Zealand	Denmark	[38]
Stelmužė Oak	1,500-2,000	Pedunculate oak Quercus robur	Stelmužė, Zarasai	Lithuania	Oldest tree in the Baltic states. Supposedly oldest oak in Europe.
Aubépines	1,500	Common hawthorn Crataegus monogyna	Saint-Mars-sur-la-Futaie, Mayenne	France	Oldest tree in France.
Angel Oak	1,500	Southern live oak Quercus virginiana	Charleston, South Carolina	United States	Highly speculative, live oaks are extremely difficult to age, and rarely live more than 500 years.[39]
Seven Sisters Oak	1,500	Southern live oak Quercus virginiana	Mandeville, Louisiana	United States	Highly speculative, live oaks are extremely difficult to age, and rarely live more than 500 years.[39]
Jardine Juniper	1,500	Rocky Mountain juniper Juniperus scopulorum	Logan Canyon, Utah	United States	[40]
Árbol del Tule	1,433–1,600	Montezuma cypress Taxodium mucronatum	Santa María del Tule, Oaxaca	Mexico	Stoutest tree trunk in the world. Its name translates as the "Tule Tree".
Cedars of God	1000+	Cedrus libani Cedars of Lebanon	Mount Lebanon	Lebanon	Oldest forest of cedars in Lebanon[41]
Te Matua Ngahere	1,200–4,000	Kauri Agathis australis	Waipoua Forest, Northland	New Zealand	Oldest tree in New Zealand. Its name translates as "Father of the Forest".

Clonal trees

As with all long-lived plant and fungal species, no individual part of a clonal colony is alive (in the sense of active metabolism) for more than a very small fraction of the life of the entire clone. Some clonal colonies may be fully connected via their root systems, while most are not actually interconnected, but are genetically identical clones which populated an area through vegetative reproduction. Ages for clonal colonies, often based on current growth rates, are estimates.

Name	Age (years)	Species	Location	Country	Notes
Pando	80,000[42]–1,000,000[43]	Quaking aspen Populus tremuloides	Fishlake National Forest, Utah	United States	Covers 107 acres (0.43 km^2) and has around 47,000 stems (average age 130 years), which continually die and are renewed by its roots. Is also the heaviest known organism, weighing 6,000 tonnes.
Jurupa Oak[44]	13,000[45]	Palmer oak Quercus palmeri	Jurupa Mountains, California	United States	Quercus palmeri Engelm. = Quercus dunnii Kellogg.[45]
Old Tjikko	9,550	Norway spruce Picea abies	Fulufjället National Park, Dalarna	Sweden	The tree's stems live no more than 600 years, but its root system's age[46][47] was established using carbon dating and genetic matching.[48] Elsewhere in the Fulu mountains, 20 spruces have been found older than 8,000 years.[49]
Old Rasmus	9,500	Norway spruce Picea abies	Härjedalen	Sweden	[50]
?	3,000[51]–10,000[52]	Huon Pine Lagarostrobos franklinii	Mount Read, Tasmania	Australia	Several genetically identical males that have reproduced vegetatively. Although single trees in this stand may be around 3 to 4 thousand years old, the stand itself as a single organism has existed for 10,000 years.[5]

See also

• King Clone
• List of largest giant sequoias
• List of longest-living organisms
• List of old-growth forests
• List of superlative trees
• Oldest viable seed
• Veteran tree

Notes

1. It is uncertain when Methuselah's age was determined, but "it seems likely the tree had 4,789 rings (crossdated) in the summer of 1957".^[7] The age given here is based on this reference point.

References

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