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List of oldest trees

Updated: Wikipedia source

List of oldest trees

Definitions of longevity vary between clonal trees, ones where parts of the tree continue to live after the death of the first trunk or trunks, and non-clonal trees. Tree ages are derived from a variety of sources, including documented "tree-ring" (dendrochronological) count core samples, radiocarbon dating, girth-to-age formulas, and estimates from growth rates. For these reasons, there are three lists of "oldest trees" here, using different criteria. The three tables of trees 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 center 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 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 almost five millennia old. A clonal colony can survive for much longer than an individual tree. A colony of 48,000 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. Recent estimates set the colony's age at about 16,000 to 37,000 years, although tree ring samples date individual stems at rarely more than 130 years. A colony of Huon pine trees covering 2 acres (1 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.

Tables

· Non-clonal trees with ages from cross-dating
Prometheus (WPN-114)
Prometheus (WPN-114)
Name
Prometheus (WPN-114)
Age (years)
4,960
Year Germinated
2936+ BCE
Species
Great Basin bristlecone pine Pinus longaeva
Location
Wheeler Peak, Nevada
Country
United States
Notes
Cut down by Donald Rusk Currey in 1964.
Methuselah
Methuselah
Name
Methuselah
Age (years)
4,668
Year Germinated
2644 BCE
Species
Great Basin bristlecone pine Pinus longaeva
Location
White Mountains (California)
Country
United States
Notes
It is the oldest known living (non-clonal) tree in the world.
Alerce Milenario or Gran Abuelo
Alerce Milenario or Gran Abuelo
Name
Alerce Milenario or Gran Abuelo
Age (years)
3,655
Year Germinated
1630+ BCE
Species
Patagonian cypress Fitzroya cupressoides
Location
Cordillera Pelada, Los Ríos
Country
Chile
Notes
Alive. New unconfirmed estimation of 5,484 years would make it the oldest (non-clonal) tree in the world. Located within Alerce Costero National Park.
CBR26
CBR26
Name
CBR26
Age (years)
3,266
Year Germinated
1374 BCE
Species
Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum
Location
Sierra Nevada, California
Country
United States
Notes
Dead.
D-21
D-21
Name
D-21
Age (years)
3,220
Year Germinated
1305+ BCE
Species
Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum
Location
Sierra Nevada, California
Country
United States
Notes
Dead.
D-23
D-23
Name
D-23
Age (years)
3,075
Year Germinated
1122+ BCE
Species
Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum
Location
Sierra Nevada, California
Country
United States
Notes
Dead.
CMC 3
CMC 3
Name
CMC 3
Age (years)
3,033
Year Germinated
1240+ BCE
Species
Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum
Location
Sierra Nevada, California
Country
United States
Notes
Dead.
Scofield Juniper
Scofield Juniper
Name
Scofield Juniper
Age (years)
2,675
Year Germinated
1510+ BCE
Species
Sierra juniper Juniperus grandis
Location
Sierra Nevada, California
Country
United States
Notes
Dead.
BLK227
BLK227
Name
BLK227
Age (years)
2,651
Year Germinated
626 BCE
Species
Bald cypress Taxodium distichum
Location
Three Sisters Cove, Black River (North Carolina)
Country
United States
CB-90-11
CB-90-11
Name
CB-90-11
Age (years)
2,468
Year Germinated
444 BCE
Species
Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine Pinus aristata
Location
Central Colorado
Country
United States
?
?
Name
?
Age (years)
2,247
Year Germinated
222 BCE
Species
Qilian juniper Juniperus przewalskii
Location
Delingha, Qinghai Province
Country
China
Bennett Juniper
Bennett Juniper
Name
Bennett Juniper
Age (years)
2,164
Year Germinated
140 BCE
Species
Sierra juniper Juniperus grandis
Location
Sierra Nevada, California
Country
United States
SHP 7
SHP 7
Name
SHP 7
Age (years)
2,110
Year Germinated
?
Species
Foxtail pine Pinus balfouriana
Location
Sierra Nevada California
Country
United States
BLK232
BLK232
Name
BLK232
Age (years)
2,095
Year Germinated
70 BCE
Species
Bald cypress Taxodium distichum
Location
Three Sisters Cove, Black River (North Carolina)
Country
United States
CRE 175
CRE 175
Name
CRE 175
Age (years)
2,053
Year Germinated
29 BCE
Species
Rocky Mountain juniper Juniperus scopulorum
Location
Northern New Mexico
Country
United States
Miles Juniper
Miles Juniper
Name
Miles Juniper
Age (years)
1,837
Year Germinated
183
Species
Sierra juniper Juniperus grandis
Location
Sierra Nevada, California
Country
United States
KET 3996
KET 3996
Name
KET 3996
Age (years)
1,728
Year Germinated
297
Species
Limber pine Pinus flexilis
Location
Ketchum, Idaho
Country
United States
FL117
FL117
Name
FL117
Age (years)
1,687
Year Germinated
338
Species
Northern whitecedar Thuja occidentalis
Location
Ontario
Country
Canada
BCK 69
BCK 69
Name
BCK 69
Age (years)
1,659
Year Germinated
366
Species
Bald cypress Taxodium distichum
Location
Bladen County, North Carolina
Country
United States
?
?
Name
?
Age (years)
1,636
Year Germinated
?
Species
Nootka cypress Callitropsis nootkatensis
Location
Vancouver Island
Country
Canada
FL101
FL101
Name
FL101
Age (years)
1,567
Year Germinated
?
Species
Northern whitecedar Thuja occidentalis
Location
Ontario
Country
Canada
Cliff Cedar
Cliff Cedar
Name
Cliff Cedar
Age (years)
1,414
Year Germinated
?
Species
Northern White Cedar Thuja occidentalis
Location
Fayette Historic State Park, Michigan
Country
United States
Notes
Cliff trees, believed initially to be bushes and then to be young based on their size, discovered by Douglas Larson.
Italus
Italus
Name
Italus
Age (years)
1,238
Year Germinated
788
Species
Heldreich's pine Pinus heldreichii
Location
Pollino National Park
Country
Italy
Notes
Alive. Oldest tree in Europe with verified age (radiocarbon calibrated tree-ring procedure).
Name
Age (years)
Year Germinated
Species
Location
Country
Notes
Prometheus (WPN-114)
4,960
2936+ BCE
Great Basin bristlecone pine Pinus longaeva
Wheeler Peak, Nevada
United States
Cut down by Donald Rusk Currey in 1964.
Methuselah
4,668
2644 BCE
Great Basin bristlecone pine Pinus longaeva
White Mountains (California)
United States
It is the oldest known living (non-clonal) tree in the world.
Alerce Milenario or Gran Abuelo
3,655
1630+ BCE
Patagonian cypress Fitzroya cupressoides
Cordillera Pelada, Los Ríos
Chile
Alive. New unconfirmed estimation of 5,484 years would make it the oldest (non-clonal) tree in the world. Located within Alerce Costero National Park.
CBR26
3,266
1374 BCE
Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum
Sierra Nevada, California
United States
Dead.
D-21
3,220
1305+ BCE
Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum
Sierra Nevada, California
United States
Dead.
D-23
3,075
1122+ BCE
Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum
Sierra Nevada, California
United States
Dead.
CMC 3
3,033
1240+ BCE
Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum
Sierra Nevada, California
United States
Dead.
Scofield Juniper
2,675
1510+ BCE
Sierra juniper Juniperus grandis
Sierra Nevada, California
United States
Dead.
BLK227
2,651
626 BCE
Bald cypress Taxodium distichum
Three Sisters Cove, Black River (North Carolina)
United States
CB-90-11
2,468
444 BCE
Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine Pinus aristata
Central Colorado
United States
?
2,247
222 BCE
Qilian juniper Juniperus przewalskii
Delingha, Qinghai Province
China
Bennett Juniper
2,164
140 BCE
Sierra juniper Juniperus grandis
Sierra Nevada, California
United States
SHP 7
2,110
?
Foxtail pine Pinus balfouriana
Sierra Nevada California
United States
BLK232
2,095
70 BCE
Bald cypress Taxodium distichum
Three Sisters Cove, Black River (North Carolina)
United States
CRE 175
2,053
29 BCE
Rocky Mountain juniper Juniperus scopulorum
Northern New Mexico
United States
Miles Juniper
1,837
183
Sierra juniper Juniperus grandis
Sierra Nevada, California
United States
KET 3996
1,728
297
Limber pine Pinus flexilis
Ketchum, Idaho
United States
FL117
1,687
338
Northern whitecedar Thuja occidentalis
Ontario
Canada
BCK 69
1,659
366
Bald cypress Taxodium distichum
Bladen County, North Carolina
United States
?
1,636
?
Nootka cypress Callitropsis nootkatensis
Vancouver Island
Canada
FL101
1,567
?
Northern whitecedar Thuja occidentalis
Ontario
Canada
Cliff Cedar
1,414
?
Northern White Cedar Thuja occidentalis
Fayette Historic State Park, Michigan
United States
Cliff trees, believed initially to be bushes and then to be young based on their size, discovered by Douglas Larson.
Italus
1,238
788
Heldreich's pine Pinus heldreichii
Pollino National Park
Italy
Alive. Oldest tree in Europe with verified age (radiocarbon calibrated tree-ring procedure).
· Non-clonal trees with estimated ages
Alerce Milenario or Gran Abuelo
Alerce Milenario or Gran Abuelo
Name
Alerce Milenario or Gran Abuelo
Age (years)
5,484
Species
Patagonian cypress Fitzroya cupressoides }
Location
Cordillera Pelada, Los Ríos
Country
Chile
Notes
A new 2022 estimation of 5,484 years expands on a previous minimum age based on incomplete tree rings of 3,655.
?
?
Name
?
Age (years)
5,077
Species
Great Basin bristlecone pine Pinus longaeva
Location
White Mountains (California)
Country
United States
Notes
Tree cored by Edmund Schulman, age determined by Tom Harlan. However, core is missing and date is unconfirmed.
Methuselah
Methuselah
Name
Methuselah
Age (years)
4,860
Species
Great Basin bristlecone pine Pinus longaeva
Location
White Mountains (California)
Country
United States
Llangernyw Yew
Llangernyw Yew
Name
Llangernyw Yew
Age (years)
4,000–5,000
Species
Common yew Taxus baccata
Location
Llangernyw, Conwy
Country
United Kingdom
Notes
Girth of 10 m. Situated in the churchyard of St Dygain's Church in Llangernyw village, Wales. One of the 50 Great British Trees.
Sarv-e Abarkuh
Sarv-e Abarkuh
Name
Sarv-e Abarkuh
Age (years)
4,500
Species
Mediterranean cypress Cupressus sempervirens
Location
Abarkuh, Yazd
Country
Iran
Notes
Also called "Zoroastrian Sarv".
Gümeli Porsuğu
Gümeli Porsuğu
Name
Gümeli Porsuğu
Age (years)
4,115
Species
Yew Taxus baccata
Location
Zonguldak
Country
Turkey
Notes
Alive, found in 2016.
The Ancient Yew
The Ancient Yew
Name
The Ancient Yew
Age (years)
4,000
Species
Yew Taxus baccata
Location
Tisbury, Wiltshire
Country
United Kingdom
Notes
37 feet in circumference. Situated in the churchyard of St John's, Tisbury. Carbon dated by David Bellamy.
The Senator
The Senator
Name
The Senator
Age (years)
3,500
Species
Pond cypress Taxodium ascendens
Location
Longwood, Florida
Country
United States
Notes
Died in January 2012 from human-caused fire.
Oliveira do Mouchão (KNJ1/601)
Oliveira do Mouchão (KNJ1/601)
Name
Oliveira do Mouchão (KNJ1/601)
Age (years)
3,350
Species
European olive tree Olea europea L. var. europaea
Location
Mouriscas, Abrantes
Country
Portugal
Notes
Alive. In 2016, José Luís Lousada, a researcher at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, estimated the tree's age at approximately 3350 years using dendrometry. According to this assessment with an estimate age precision of 2%, it is considered the oldest tree in Portugal.
S'Ozzastru
S'Ozzastru
Name
S'Ozzastru
Age (years)
3,000–4,000
Species
Olive Olea europaea
Location
Luras, Sardinia
Country
Italy
The President
The President
Name
The President
Age (years)
3,200
Species
Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum
Location
Sierra Nevada, California
Country
United States
Notes
Alive.
Fortingall Yew
Fortingall Yew
Name
Fortingall Yew
Age (years)
3,000
Species
Common yew Taxus baccata
Location
Fortingall, Perthshire
Country
United Kingdom
Notes
Alive. Possibly the oldest tree in Britain.
Alishan Sacred Tree
Alishan Sacred Tree
Name
Alishan Sacred Tree
Age (years)
3,000
Species
Formosan cypress Chamaecyparis formosensis
Location
Alishan National Scenic Area, Chiayi
Country
Taiwan
Notes
Collapsed on 1 July 1997, following heavy rainstorms.
Patriarca da Floresta
Patriarca da Floresta
Name
Patriarca da Floresta
Age (years)
3,020
Species
Jequitibá-rosa Cariniana legalis
Location
Santa Rita do Passa Quatro, São Paulo
Country
Brazil
Notes
Alive. Probably the oldest non-conifer in Brazil. Its name translates as "Patriarch of the Forest". Located at the Vassununga State Park.
Great Camphor of Takeo
Great Camphor of Takeo
Name
Great Camphor of Takeo
Age (years)
3,000+
Species
Cinnamomum camphora "Camphor Tree"
Location
Takeo, Saga
Country
Japan
Notes
A large Camphor tree reputed to be over 3,000 years old. Worshipped at a Shinto shrine dedicated to the tree, dating back to the 700s C . Alive.
Raintree
Raintree
Name
Raintree
Age (years)
3,000+
Species
Great Basin bristlecone pine
Location
Spring Mountains, Nevada
Country
United States
Notes
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
Oliveira de Santa Iria de Azóia
Name
Oliveira de Santa Iria de Azóia
Age (years)
2,850
Species
Olive Olea europaea
Location
Santa Iria de Azoia, Loures
Country
Portugal
Notes
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
Mother of the Forest
Mother of the Forest
Name
Mother of the Forest
Age (years)
2,520
Species
Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum
Location
Sierra Nevada, Calaveras Big Trees State Park, California
Country
United States
Notes
Dead.
?
?
Name
?
Age (years)
2,521
Species
Coast redwood Sequoia sempervirens
Location
California
Country
United States
Sarv Zibad
Sarv Zibad
Name
Sarv Zibad
Age (years)
2,500
Species
Mediterranean cypress Cupressus sempervirens
Location
Sarv Zibad, Khorasan
Country
Iran
Notes
Also called "holly Sarv".
Panke baobab
Panke baobab
Name
Panke baobab
Age (years)
2,464
Species
African baobab Adansonia digitata
Location
Matabeleland North
Country
Zimbabwe
Notes
Died in 2011; the oldest non-clonal angiosperm ever documented.
Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi
Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi
Name
Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi
Age (years)
2,312
Species
Sacred fig Ficus religiosa
Location
Anuradhapura, North Central Province
Country
Sri Lanka
Notes
A sapling claimed to be from the Bodhi tree, the legendary tree under which the Buddha is said to have become enlightened. It was brought to its current location and planted at around 288 BCE by Sanghamitra, daughter of Emperor Ashoka. It is the oldest living human-planted tree in the world with a known planting date.
General Sherman
General Sherman
Name
General Sherman
Age (years)
2,300–2,700
Species
Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum
Location
Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park, California
Country
United States
Notes
Alive with a height of 83 meters (275 ft), a diameter of 11 m (36 ft) at its base, and an estimated bole volume of 1,487 m3 (52,513 cu ft), it is the largest known living single-stem tree, and among the tallest, widest, and longest-lived of all trees on Earth.
Kayano Ōsugi
Kayano Ōsugi
Name
Kayano Ōsugi
Age (years)
2,300
Species
Japanese cedar Cryptomeria japonica
Location
Yamanaka Onsen, Ishikawa
Country
Japan
Notes
Girth of 9 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".
Oliveira de Santa Luzia
Oliveira de Santa Luzia
Name
Oliveira de Santa Luzia
Age (years)
2,210
Species
Olive Olea europaea
Location
Santa Luzia, Tavira, Algarve
Country
Portugal
Notes
Alive.
Jōmon Sugi
Jōmon Sugi
Name
Jōmon Sugi
Age (years)
2,170–7,200
Species
Japanese cedar Cryptomeria japonica
Location
Yakushima
Country
Japan
Notes
Girth of 16 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.
Ballyconnell Yew
Ballyconnell Yew
Name
Ballyconnell Yew
Age (years)
2,000–5,000
Species
Yew Taxus baccata
Location
Ballyconnell, Annagh
Country
Ireland
Notes
Oldest tree in Ireland.
Elia Vouvon
Elia Vouvon
Name
Elia Vouvon
Age (years)
2,000–5,000
Species
Olive Olea europaea
Location
Kolymvari, Crete
Country
Greece
Notes
Its name translates as "Olive Tree of Vouves".
Castagnu dê Centu Cavaddi
Castagnu dê Centu Cavaddi
Name
Castagnu dê Centu Cavaddi
Age (years)
2,000–4,000
Species
Sweet chestnut Castanea sativa
Location
Sicily
Country
Italy
Notes
Its name translates as the "Hundred Horse Chestnut".
Chandelier Tree
Chandelier Tree
Name
Chandelier Tree
Age (years)
2,000-2,500
Species
Coast redwood Sequoia sempervirens
Location
Leggett, California
Country
United States
Notes
The name "Chandelier Tree" comes from its unusual limbs that resemble a chandelier. The limbs, which measure from 4 to 7 ft (1 to 2 m) in diameter, begin 100 ft (30 m) above the ground. It is 2,400 years old.
Ulleungdo Hyangnamu
Ulleungdo Hyangnamu
Name
Ulleungdo Hyangnamu
Age (years)
2,000–3,000
Species
Chinese juniper Juniperus chinensis
Location
Ulleung-gun, Gyeongbuk
Country
South Korea
Notes
Girth of 4 m. One of the main branches was broken in 1985 by typhoon "Brenda".
Stara Maslina
Stara Maslina
Name
Stara Maslina
Age (years)
2,249 (2,016-2482)
Species
Olive Olea europaea
Location
Stari Bar, Bar
Country
Montenegro
Tnjri
Tnjri
Name
Tnjri
Age (years)
2,040+
Species
Oriental plane Platanus orientalis
Location
Martuni Region
Country
Azerbaijan
Notes
Oldest tree in a part of Azerbaijan. Its trunk is hollow. Also known as "Sose's Tree".
Koca Katran
Koca Katran
Name
Koca Katran
Age (years)
2,030
Species
Lebanon cedar Cedrus libani
Location
Antalya
Country
Turkey
Notes
Alive.
?
?
Name
?
Age (years)
2,010
Species
Olive Olea europaea
Location
Exo Hora, Zakynthos
Country
Greece
?
?
Name
?
Age (years)
2,010
Species
Yew Taxus
Location
Sochi, Krasnodar Krai
Country
Russia
Notes
A grove known to possess several 2,000-year-old specimens.
Houkisugi at Nakagawa
Houkisugi at Nakagawa
Name
Houkisugi at Nakagawa
Age (years)
2,000
Species
Japanese cedar Cryptomeria japonica
Location
Nakagawa Settlement, Yamakita, Kanagawa
Country
Japan
Lady Liberty
Lady Liberty
Name
Lady Liberty
Age (years)
2,000+
Species
Bald cypress Taxodium distichum
Location
Longwood, Florida
Country
United States
Notes
Sometimes called the "Companion Tree" to 'Senator".
Tejo Milenario
Tejo Milenario
Name
Tejo Milenario
Age (years)
2,000+
Species
Yew Taxus baccata
Location
Cazorla, Jaén
Country
Spain
Notes
Oldest tree in Spain.
?
?
Name
?
Age (years)
1,952
Species
Subalpine larch Larix lyallii
Location
Kananaskis, Alberta
Country
Canada
The Pechanga Great Oak Tree
The Pechanga Great Oak Tree
Name
The Pechanga Great Oak Tree
Age (years)
1,000-2,000
Species
Coast live oak Quercus agrifolia
Location
Temecula, California
Country
United States
Notes
Oldest oak tree in the United States, possibly in the world.
Methuselah
Methuselah
Name
Methuselah
Age (years)
1,800
Species
Coast redwood Sequoia sempervirens
Location
Woodside, California
Country
United States
Araucaria Madre
Araucaria Madre
Name
Araucaria Madre
Age (years)
1,810
Species
Araucaria araucana
Location
Araucanía
Country
Chile
Notes
Located in Parque Nacional Conguillío. 1,800 rings account for at least 1,800 years.
Granit oak
Granit oak
Name
Granit oak
Age (years)
1,679
Species
Pedunculate oak Quercus robur
Location
Granit
Country
Bulgaria
Kongeegen
Kongeegen
Name
Kongeegen
Age (years)
1,500–2,000
Species
Pedunculate oak Quercus robur
Location
Jægerspris Nordskov, Zealand
Country
Denmark
Stelmužė Oak
Stelmužė Oak
Name
Stelmužė Oak
Age (years)
1,500–2,000
Species
Pedunculate oak Quercus robur
Location
Stelmužė, Zarasai
Country
Lithuania
Notes
Oldest tree in the Baltic states. Likely oldest oak in Europe.
Vilémovice Yew
Vilémovice Yew
Name
Vilémovice Yew
Age (years)
1,500–2,000
Species
Common yew Taxus baccata
Location
Vilémovice
Country
Czech Republic
Notes
345 cm (136 in) in circumference.
Aubépines
Aubépines
Name
Aubépines
Age (years)
1,500
Species
Common hawthorn Crataegus monogyna
Location
Saint-Mars-sur-la-Futaie, Mayenne
Country
France
Notes
Oldest tree in France.
Jardine Juniper
Jardine Juniper
Name
Jardine Juniper
Age (years)
1,500
Species
Rocky Mountain juniper Juniperus scopulorum
Location
Logan Canyon, Utah
Country
United States
Árbol del Tule
Árbol del Tule
Name
Árbol del Tule
Age (years)
1,433–1,600
Species
Montezuma cypress Taxodium mucronatum
Location
Santa María del Tule, Oaxaca
Country
Mexico
Notes
Stoutest tree trunk in the world. Its name translates as the "Tule Tree".
Baikushev's pine
Baikushev's pine
Name
Baikushev's pine
Age (years)
1,300
Species
Heldreich's pine Pinus heldreichii
Location
Pirin Mountains
Country
Bulgaria
Notes
Oldest known coniferous tree in Bulgaria. It is named after its discoverer, forest ranger Kostadin Baikushev.
Te Matua Ngahere
Te Matua Ngahere
Name
Te Matua Ngahere
Age (years)
1,200–4,000
Species
Kauri Agathis australis
Location
Waipoua Forest, Northland
Country
New Zealand
Notes
Oldest tree in New Zealand. Its name translates as "Father of the Forest".
Cis Henrykowski
Cis Henrykowski
Name
Cis Henrykowski
Age (years)
1270
Species
Common Yew Taxus Baccata
Location
Henryków Lubański, Lower Silesia,
Country
Poland
Notes
Oldest tree in Poland. The age of the tree was estimated based on the trunk circumference and growth rate assessed by taking a core from an undamaged part of the trunk. If the trunk is the result of the fusion of two or three trunks, its age may be younger.
Algarrobo Abuelo
Algarrobo Abuelo
Name
Algarrobo Abuelo
Age (years)
1,200+
Species
Algarrobo Prosopis chilensis
Location
Villa de Merlo, San Luis Province
Country
Argentina
Notes
Possibly oldest algarrobo in Argentina.
"The Sisters" or "Sisters Olive Trees of Noah"
"The Sisters" or "Sisters Olive Trees of Noah"
Name
"The Sisters" or "Sisters Olive Trees of Noah"
Age (years)
1,163 ±131
Species
Olive Olea europaea
Location
Bchaaleh, North Governorate
Country
Lebanon
Notes
Folk legend also ascribes The Sisters as the source of the olive branch returned to Noah's Ark at the waning of the Biblical Flood.
Name
Age (years)
Species
Location
Country
Notes
Alerce Milenario or Gran Abuelo
5,484
Patagonian cypress Fitzroya cupressoides }
Cordillera Pelada, Los Ríos
Chile
A new 2022 estimation of 5,484 years expands on a previous minimum age based on incomplete tree rings of 3,655.
?
5,077
Great Basin bristlecone pine Pinus longaeva
White Mountains (California)
United States
Tree cored by Edmund Schulman, age determined by Tom Harlan. However, core is missing and date is unconfirmed.
Methuselah
4,860
Great Basin bristlecone pine Pinus longaeva
White Mountains (California)
United States
Llangernyw Yew
4,000–5,000
Common yew Taxus baccata
Llangernyw, Conwy
United Kingdom
Girth of 10 m. Situated in the churchyard of St Dygain's Church in Llangernyw village, Wales. One of the 50 Great British Trees.
Sarv-e Abarkuh
4,500
Mediterranean cypress Cupressus sempervirens
Abarkuh, Yazd
Iran
Also called "Zoroastrian Sarv".
Gümeli Porsuğu
4,115
Yew Taxus baccata
Zonguldak
Turkey
Alive, found in 2016.
The Ancient Yew
4,000
Yew Taxus baccata
Tisbury, Wiltshire
United Kingdom
37 feet in circumference. Situated in the churchyard of St John's, Tisbury. Carbon dated by David Bellamy.
The Senator
3,500
Pond cypress Taxodium ascendens
Longwood, Florida
United States
Died in January 2012 from human-caused fire.
Oliveira do Mouchão (KNJ1/601)
3,350
European olive tree Olea europea L. var. europaea
Mouriscas, Abrantes
Portugal
Alive. In 2016, José Luís Lousada, a researcher at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, estimated the tree's age at approximately 3350 years using dendrometry. According to this assessment with an estimate age precision of 2%, it is considered the oldest tree in Portugal.
S'Ozzastru
3,000–4,000
Olive Olea europaea
Luras, Sardinia
Italy
The President
3,200
Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum
Sierra Nevada, California
United States
Alive.
Fortingall Yew
3,000
Common yew Taxus baccata
Fortingall, Perthshire
United Kingdom
Alive. Possibly the oldest tree in Britain.
Alishan Sacred Tree
3,000
Formosan cypress Chamaecyparis formosensis
Alishan National Scenic Area, Chiayi
Taiwan
Collapsed on 1 July 1997, following heavy rainstorms.
Patriarca da Floresta
3,020
Jequitibá-rosa Cariniana legalis
Santa Rita do Passa Quatro, São Paulo
Brazil
Alive. Probably the oldest non-conifer in Brazil. Its name translates as "Patriarch of the Forest". Located at the Vassununga State Park.
Great Camphor of Takeo
3,000+
Cinnamomum camphora "Camphor Tree"
Takeo, Saga
Japan
A large Camphor tree reputed to be over 3,000 years old. Worshipped at a Shinto shrine dedicated to the tree, dating back to the 700s C . Alive.
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 Azoia, Loures
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
Mother of the Forest
2,520
Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum
Sierra Nevada, Calaveras Big Trees State Park, California
United States
Dead.
?
2,521
Coast redwood Sequoia sempervirens
California
United States
Sarv Zibad
2,500
Mediterranean cypress Cupressus sempervirens
Sarv Zibad, Khorasan
Iran
Also called "holly Sarv".
Panke baobab
2,464
African baobab Adansonia digitata
Matabeleland North
Zimbabwe
Died in 2011; the oldest non-clonal angiosperm ever documented.
Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi
2,312
Sacred fig Ficus religiosa
Anuradhapura, North Central Province
Sri Lanka
A sapling claimed to be from the Bodhi tree, the legendary tree under which the Buddha is said to have become enlightened. It was brought to its current location and planted at around 288 BCE by Sanghamitra, daughter of Emperor Ashoka. It is the oldest living human-planted tree in the world with a known planting date.
General Sherman
2,300–2,700
Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum
Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park, California
United States
Alive with a height of 83 meters (275 ft), a diameter of 11 m (36 ft) at its base, and an estimated bole volume of 1,487 m3 (52,513 cu ft), it is the largest known living single-stem tree, and among the tallest, widest, and longest-lived of all trees on Earth.
Kayano Ōsugi
2,300
Japanese cedar Cryptomeria japonica
Yamanaka Onsen, Ishikawa
Japan
Girth of 9 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".
Oliveira de Santa Luzia
2,210
Olive Olea europaea
Santa Luzia, Tavira, Algarve
Portugal
Alive.
Jōmon Sugi
2,170–7,200
Japanese cedar Cryptomeria japonica
Yakushima
Japan
Girth of 16 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.
Ballyconnell Yew
2,000–5,000
Yew Taxus baccata
Ballyconnell, Annagh
Ireland
Oldest tree in Ireland.
Elia Vouvon
2,000–5,000
Olive Olea europaea
Kolymvari, Crete
Greece
Its name translates as "Olive Tree of Vouves".
Castagnu dê Centu Cavaddi
2,000–4,000
Sweet chestnut Castanea sativa
Sicily
Italy
Its name translates as the "Hundred Horse Chestnut".
Chandelier Tree
2,000-2,500
Coast redwood Sequoia sempervirens
Leggett, California
United States
The name "Chandelier Tree" comes from its unusual limbs that resemble a chandelier. The limbs, which measure from 4 to 7 ft (1 to 2 m) in diameter, begin 100 ft (30 m) above the ground. It is 2,400 years old.
Ulleungdo Hyangnamu
2,000–3,000
Chinese juniper Juniperus chinensis
Ulleung-gun, Gyeongbuk
South Korea
Girth of 4 m. One of the main branches was broken in 1985 by typhoon "Brenda".
Stara Maslina
2,249 (2,016-2482)
Olive Olea europaea
Stari Bar, Bar
Montenegro
Tnjri
2,040+
Oriental plane Platanus orientalis
Martuni Region
Azerbaijan
Oldest tree in a part of Azerbaijan. Its trunk is hollow. Also known as "Sose's Tree".
Koca Katran
2,030
Lebanon cedar Cedrus libani
Antalya
Turkey
Alive.
?
2,010
Olive Olea europaea
Exo Hora, Zakynthos
Greece
?
2,010
Yew Taxus
Sochi, Krasnodar Krai
Russia
A grove known to possess several 2,000-year-old specimens.
Houkisugi at Nakagawa
2,000
Japanese cedar Cryptomeria japonica
Nakagawa Settlement, Yamakita, Kanagawa
Japan
Lady Liberty
2,000+
Bald cypress Taxodium distichum
Longwood, Florida
United States
Sometimes called the "Companion Tree" to 'Senator".
Tejo Milenario
2,000+
Yew Taxus baccata
Cazorla, Jaén
Spain
Oldest tree in Spain.
?
1,952
Subalpine larch Larix lyallii
Kananaskis, Alberta
Canada
The Pechanga Great Oak Tree
1,000-2,000
Coast live oak Quercus agrifolia
Temecula, California
United States
Oldest oak tree in the United States, possibly in the world.
Methuselah
1,800
Coast redwood Sequoia sempervirens
Woodside, California
United States
Araucaria Madre
1,810
Araucaria araucana
Araucanía
Chile
Located in Parque Nacional Conguillío. 1,800 rings account for at least 1,800 years.
Granit oak
1,679
Pedunculate oak Quercus robur
Granit
Bulgaria
Kongeegen
1,500–2,000
Pedunculate oak Quercus robur
Jægerspris Nordskov, Zealand
Denmark
Stelmužė Oak
1,500–2,000
Pedunculate oak Quercus robur
Stelmužė, Zarasai
Lithuania
Oldest tree in the Baltic states. Likely oldest oak in Europe.
Vilémovice Yew
1,500–2,000
Common yew Taxus baccata
Vilémovice
Czech Republic
345 cm (136 in) in circumference.
Aubépines
1,500
Common hawthorn Crataegus monogyna
Saint-Mars-sur-la-Futaie, Mayenne
France
Oldest tree in France.
Jardine Juniper
1,500
Rocky Mountain juniper Juniperus scopulorum
Logan Canyon, Utah
United States
· Clonal trees
?
?
Name
?
Age (years)
43,600–130,000
Species
King's lomatia Lomatia tasmanica
Location
Southwest National Park, Tasmania
Country
Australia
Notes
Lomatia tasmanica is an endangered species with only one population, consisting of several hundred genetically identical individuals. Although it flowers occasionally, fruit production has never been observed, and it propagates vegetatively. Fossilized leaves are dated as at least 43,600 years old, found in sediments with a maximum age of 130,000.
Pando
Pando
Name
Pando
Age (years)
less than 16,000–37,000
Species
Quaking aspen Populus tremuloides
Location
Fishlake National Forest, Utah
Country
United States
Notes
Covers 107 acres (0 km2) and has around 47,000 stems (aged up to 130 years), which continually die and are renewed by its roots. Is also the heaviest-known organism, weighing 6,000 tonnes.
Jurupa Oak
Jurupa Oak
Name
Jurupa Oak
Age (years)
13,000
Species
Palmer oak Quercus palmeri
Location
Jurupa Mountains, California
Country
United States
Notes
Quercus palmeri Engelm. = Quercus dunnii Kellogg.
Old Tjikko
Old Tjikko
Name
Old Tjikko
Age (years)
9,550
Species
Norway spruce Picea abies
Location
Fulufjället National Park, Dalarna
Country
Sweden
Notes
The tree's stems live no more than 600 years, but its root system's age was established using carbon dating and genetic matching. Elsewhere in the Fulu mountains, 20 spruces have been found older than 8,000 years.
Old Rasmus
Old Rasmus
Name
Old Rasmus
Age (years)
9,500
Species
Norway spruce Picea abies
Location
Sonfjället, Härjedalen
Country
Sweden
Mongarlowe mallee
Mongarlowe mallee
Name
Mongarlowe mallee
Age (years)
3,000–13,000
Species
Mongarlowe mallee Eucalyptus recurva
Location
Mongarlowe, New South Wales
Country
Australia
Notes
Alive. A critically endangered species, known only from 6 wild individuals, first described in the 1980s. Based on the size and growth rate of its lignotuber, the largest single specimen is estimated to be 3,000 years old. However, it is possible that two other specimens are actually the result of a split in the original rootstock, and based on the
?
?
Name
?
Age (years)
3,000–10,000
Species
Huon pine Lagarostrobos franklinii
Location
Mount Read, Tasmania
Country
Australia
Notes
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.
Antarctic beech
Antarctic beech
Name
Antarctic beech
Age (years)
2,000
Species
Antarctic beech Nothofagus moorei
Location
Repeater Station Road, Springbrook National Park, Queensland
Country
Australia
Notes
Three individuals approximately 2000 years old are the parent trees to others in the surrounding forest; they grow clones by coppicing new shoots radially, forming a ring at the base of the parent tree trunk.
Name
Age (years)
Species
Location
Country
Notes
?
43,600–130,000
King's lomatia Lomatia tasmanica
Southwest National Park, Tasmania
Australia
Lomatia tasmanica is an endangered species with only one population, consisting of several hundred genetically identical individuals. Although it flowers occasionally, fruit production has never been observed, and it propagates vegetatively. Fossilized leaves are dated as at least 43,600 years old, found in sediments with a maximum age of 130,000.
Pando
less than 16,000–37,000
Quaking aspen Populus tremuloides
Fishlake National Forest, Utah
United States
Covers 107 acres (0 km2) and has around 47,000 stems (aged up to 130 years), which continually die and are renewed by its roots. Is also the heaviest-known organism, weighing 6,000 tonnes.
Jurupa Oak
13,000
Palmer oak Quercus palmeri
Jurupa Mountains, California
United States
Quercus palmeri Engelm. = Quercus dunnii Kellogg.
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 was established using carbon dating and genetic matching. Elsewhere in the Fulu mountains, 20 spruces have been found older than 8,000 years.
Old Rasmus
9,500
Norway spruce Picea abies
Sonfjället, Härjedalen
Sweden
Mongarlowe mallee
3,000–13,000
Mongarlowe mallee Eucalyptus recurva
Mongarlowe, New South Wales
Australia
Alive. A critically endangered species, known only from 6 wild individuals, first described in the 1980s. Based on the size and growth rate of its lignotuber, the largest single specimen is estimated to be 3,000 years old. However, it is possible that two other specimens are actually the result of a split in the original rootstock, and based on the
?
3,000–10,000
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.
Antarctic beech
2,000
Antarctic beech Nothofagus moorei
Repeater Station Road, Springbrook National Park, Queensland
Australia
Three individuals approximately 2000 years old are the parent trees to others in the surrounding forest; they grow clones by coppicing new shoots radially, forming a ring at the base of the parent tree trunk.

References

  1. Not named yet
  2. It is uncertain whether the tree was dated in 1957 or 1958, but "it seems likely the tree had 4,789 rings (crossdated) i
  3. bioRxiv
    https://doi.org/10.1101%2F2024.10.19.619233
  4. Farmer 2022, pp. 9–10.
  5. Farmer 2022, pp. 7, 9, 91, 282.
  6. Farmer 2022, p. 10.
  7. PLOS ONE
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6192553
  8. Scientific Reports
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5498503
  9. The Trembling Giant
    http://discovermagazine.com/1993/oct/thetremblinggian285
  10. Botanical Record-Breakers
    https://web.archive.org/web/20101219095825/http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ww0601.htm
  11. SPECIES: Populus tremuloides
    http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/poptre/all.html#BOTANICAL%20AND%20ECOLOGICAL%20CHARACTERISTICS
  12. Native Conifers of Tasmania
    https://web.archive.org/web/20120728124028/http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=3240
  13. Sci Rep
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8154960
  14. Journal of Forestry
    https://www.ltrr.arizona.edu/~ellisqm/outgoing/dendroecology2014/readings/douglass1941.pdf
  15. Dendrochronology of the "Currey Tree"
    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333058921
  16. Rocky Mountain Tree-Ring Research
    http://www.rmtrr.org/oldlist.htm
  17. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/10/16/ancient-tree-secrets/
  18. Science
    https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1993Sci...260.1104L
  19. Science Journal
    https://www.science.org/content/article/world-s-oldest-tree-growing-ravine-chile
  20. Conaf
    https://web.archive.org/web/20141006104430/http://www.conaf.cl/parques/parque-nacional-alerce-costero/
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