The Oldest Tree In The World?

~ beetleypete

After my recent tree post, I have been thinking about the oldest known tree. Most of my research has returned the above tree, a Bristlecone Pine that has been named Methuselah.

It is 4,852 years old, and located in California, near the border with Nevada. The exact location is kept secret by the US National Parks Service.

That means it started growing in 2,830 BC, during the Bronze Age. Long before the empires of Ancient Greece and Rome were established.

Now that’s what I call an ‘old tree’.

89 thoughts on “The Oldest Tree In The World?”

      2. I’ll never forget seeing Stonehenge in 1979 and able to hug, climb, sit on the rocks. Then I returned in 2007 and I was not allowed to get near them. Just a walking track around them. All because somebody stupid felt the need to mark on them.

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              1. They are doing such a fantastic job protecting trees.
                Wow that is old, I don’t know if we have trees that old around here. Every time I visit places just try my best taking some good pictures of trees around though I can tell you for sure aren’t old.

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  17. Trees are amazing, how they stand sentinel in our yards, grow up with our kids, shelter us from the sun, harbor our secrets. It’s the energy that surrounds a tree that is so attractive. I’ve never heard of this particular tree but I appreciate it’s longevity. Hugs, C

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    1. I live in Las Vegas, and have been to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in California several times over the years. So it’s over four hours away from here. The drive to the visitor’s center (elev. 9,846 ft. / 3001 m) via White Mountain Road is quite scenic, as you can look out across Owens Valley beyond Bishop (elev. 4,150 ft. / 1265 m) to the spectacular Sierra Nevada range. I have also driven further north on White Mountain Road to a higher elevation grove of bristlecones. That grove is not to be overlooked because there are no other trees mixed in with them.

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  21. Quite a gnarly but beautiful tree! I guess at that age, it’s okay to be gnarly! I don’t recall seeing any Bristlecone Pines before, but I have seen other old trees – in the 3,000 year old range – in the Sequioias, not only old but also the largest living trees on earth.

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  26. I’ve always appreciated the effort that has gone into keeping its location a secret. For once, our government has done something right and through various administrations and political parties for at least 65 years. 🌳😀

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  32. Extraordinary. Somewhere else this morning I saw a post from someone claiming that the oldest tree…3,000 and some years is in Greece but I’m not sure if that was oldest living. Methuselah looks a bit dead? I am still impressed, whatever the case. Makes human life seem so insignificant…all our dramas…a puff of wind blows them all away…

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