It’s been some source of debate as to what is the oldest tree in the world. There are several candidates for the title but one thing is very sure they will all need the care of the Dorset Tree Surgeon Kieran Boyland. Here are some of the oldest. Most of them are growing in hard to reach places or their location is kept a closely guarded secret.
- Methuselah. Named after the bible character with the exceptionally long life span this Pine is reckoned to be the oldest. It is a softwood gymnosperm and is thought to be some four thousand eight hundred and fifty one years old. It grows in a park in California but it’s location is undisclosed.
- Prometheus. Named after the rebellious Titan who helped Zeus then betrayed him by giving us fire, this near immortal tree is just one hundred years short of it’s five thousandth year. It lives in a park in Nevada. Again it’s location is not public knowledge.
- The Llangernyw Yew. This one is a little close to home and it can be viewed. It grows in the village churchyard of Llangernyw. It is thought to be over five thousand years old, longer than the first two, but this has never been fully verified and as Methuselah and Prometheus have.
- They are all trumped, or not depending on opinion by Old Tjikko in Norway. This tree is nine thousand years old. However the spruce that grows is not the original tree, that is long gone. This is just another set of growth from the tree’s roots. The tree trunk is only a few hundred years old. The Norway spruce grows again when it’s branches reach the floor. It’s sort of like a Time lord tree, regenerating every hundred years or so.