The 5 Oldest Trees In The World

Methuselah

Methuselah

A primitive bristlecone named Methuselah pine was once the oldest non-clonal organism on Earth. To this day, she still stands tall at her home in the Inyo National Forest, which is nestled in the White Mountains of California. Methuselah’s record was broken in 2013 when another bristlecone pine was discovered to be over 5,000 years older than Methuselah. With that said, Methuselah has still been around for 4,848, so she definitely deserves some respect. The exact location of Methuselah has also been a purposefully well-kept secret, which has encouraged travelers to take to the forest themselves in the hopes they can be the one to pick her out.

Sarv-e Abarqu

Sarv-e Abarqu

A cypress tree located deep in the Yazd province of Iran, “Sarv-e Abarqu” is estimated to be around 4,000 – 5,000 years old and is esteemed as an Iranian national monument. Most likely the oldest living thing in Asia, there is an ancient lore surrounding the tree, which says that it was first planted by Zoroaster, an ancient Iranian prophet, in the hopes it would spread his teachings. He is thought to have stopped at Abarkuh and planted it there, but many merely regard this as folklore. Still, if the tree is old enough to inspire its own ancient lore, how old is it really?

Llangernyw Yew

Llangernyw Yew

A magnificent yew tree that stands tall in the tiny churchyard in Wales, the LLangernyw Yew was apparently planted sometime during the Bronze Age, and continues to grow to this day. Located near the St Dygain’s Church in Llangernyw village, Queen Elizabeth II visited the yew back in 2002, and alongside the Tree council designated it one of the 50 greatest British Trees. The yew is also massive, with its girth ranging around 35 feet.

According to all the data available, this tree is also somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 years old, and apparently is inhabited by a spirit known as “The Recording Angel” or Angelystor. Apparently, a booming voice rings out from the tree every Halloween, listing off the parishioners who will die in the next year. As told in legend, a man named Sion Ap Rhobert challenged the existence of the tree spirit, even after hearing his own name called out. He died the following year.

Olive Tree of Vouves

Olive Tree of Vouves

An ancient olive tree on the Greek island of Crete that still produces olive, the Olive Tree of Vouves is one of seven legendary olive trees believed to be at least 2,000 to 3,000 years old. The Vouves one is estimated to be the oldest aging at over 3,000 years old. The official age can’t be verified but the olives produced by the tree are some of the most cherished in the country. The reason for its longevity? Olive trees are notoriously resilient, as they can survive against droughts and fire and don’t require much of anything to survive.

Jōmon Sugi

Jōmon Sugi

Located in Yakushima, Japan, the Jōmon Sugi is the largest cryptomeria tree on the island, and is one of the reasons the island was deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dating back at least 2,000 years, some experts believe the Jōmon Sugi could actually be closer to around 5,000 years old. Some even speculate that it could be the oldest tree in the world.