Which Tree Holds the Title of the World's Oldest?

Based on carbon dating, Old Tjikko, a spruce located on Fulu Mountain in Sweden, began its life around 7542 B.C.E., placing this member of a clonal tree lineage well before the advent of recorded history. TTphoto/Shutterstock

Interestingly, the distinction of being the world's oldest tree remains highly contested.

Since 2018, a rugged bristlecone pine in California has claimed the title, only to be challenged by a newly discovered contender on a Swedish peak. Adding to the intrigue, a disputed discovery in a Chilean forest has sparked debates among tree enthusiasts, with some suggesting that an ancient cypress might be hundreds — yes, hundreds — of years older than any other living tree known today.

As the competition continues to grow, determining the world's oldest tree is far more complex than it appears. Which tree truly holds this ancient title?

A Leading Contender for the World's Oldest Tree

To witness one of the top contenders for the world's oldest tree, you’d need to journey to a Swedish mountain peak, where a resilient spruce tree has clung to life for almost 10,000 years.

This spruce tree, which began growing at the close of the last ice age around 7542 B.C.E., was identified by researchers studying tree species on Fulufjället (commonly called Fulu) Mountain in Dalarna province in 2004. Its age was verified through carbon dating in 2008.

The tree's species and age were unexpected discoveries for Leif Kullmann, a professor of Physical Geography at Sweden's Umeaa University

. Kullmann guided a research team to a location near Fulu Mountain's peak, where they uncovered a group of spruce trees over 8,000 years old, including evidence of a single tree that had survived for 9,550 years. (Kullmann named this tree Old Tjikko, in memory of his deceased dog.)

Kullman suggests that the spruces may have been brought by people migrating near receding glaciers. However, the mountain spruce's discovery has sparked some debate.

The tree's extraordinary longevity is due to its enduring root system, which has survived for at least four generations. The visible parts — the trunk, branches, cones, and needles — have a lifespan of only around 600 years. When one trunk dies, a cloned stem emerges to take its place.

Researchers emphasize that the tree's ability to regenerate new trunks from its root system has been crucial to its survival over millennia.

Does a long-lived clone, sustained by a root system spanning generations, still qualify as the same tree? This is a question that scientists, researchers, and record-keepers must grapple with.

One thing remains clear: With lifespans ranging from 5,000 to nearly 10,000 years, the world's oldest trees stand as remarkable testaments to nature's resilience and creativity.

Tree Lifespan

Even the shortest-lived trees, such as most fruit trees, can thrive for up to 50 years. In contrast, species like pine trees grow so gradually that by the age of 40, they might only reach 6 inches (15 centimeters) in height. This "slow and steady" approach seems effective in their early years, though it shifts as they mature.

A study published in the journal Nature reveals that trees grow faster as they age. Contrary to earlier beliefs that growth slows with time, researchers now understand that the largest and oldest trees can add up to 1,300 pounds (approximately 600 kilograms) of wood, bark, and leaves annually.

Unlike most living organisms, whose cells deteriorate over time, many trees have no inherent age limit. While they can be destroyed by logging, fires, pests, diseases, or natural events like lightning, some trees could, in theory, live forever.

Methuselah

Methuselah, a bristlecone pine located in California, was once regarded as the planet's oldest tree. Yen Chao/Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)

Long before the Egyptians began building the iconic pyramids of Giza, a small tree was establishing its roots in the White Mountains of eastern California.

This tree, a bristlecone pine named Methuselah, continues to thrive in the Inyo National Forest within California's Great Basin and was previously thought to be the oldest non-clonal tree in existence.

Based on tree-ring analysis from a core sample of its trunk, Methuselah is estimated to be 4,853 years old. The Forest Service conceals its precise location, but it resides somewhere along the Methuselah Trail in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest.

Gran Abuelo

El Alerce Milenario (Fitzroya cupressoides), also called Gran Abuelo, is located in Chile's Alerce Costero National Park. Wikimedia Commons (CC By SA 4.0)

In 2022, a Patagonian cypress in Chile, referred to as Gran Abuelo (great-grandfather) or Alerce Milenario, was identified as a potential new contender for the title of the world's oldest tree.

This specific tree, found in a ravine within Chile's Alerce Costero National Park, is estimated to be 5,484 years old, making it over 600 years older than Methuselah.

Chilean environmental scientist Jonathan Barichivich discovered and analyzed the tree, sharing his findings at various conferences. However, since Barichivich calculated the tree's age using only a partial core sample, there is ongoing debate about the precision of this estimate.

Regardless of their exact age, the world's oldest trees play a crucial role — not just in maintaining the health of their ecosystems, but also as indicators of climate change. By examining core samples from these trees, researchers can track the effects of environmental shifts on both the trees and their habitats.