All about Bristlecone Pines, the oldest tree species on the planet

How many of you have heard of the oldest living tree species on Earth? Well if you haven’t, Bristlecone Pine (Pinus longaeva) trees, native to southern United States, are the oldest trees on the planet; by oldest we mean, around 5000 years old. Yes, you read that correct! These trees must have seen around for many decades, must have borne many natural calamities, yet survived the test of time.
Today, they stand still and healthy, and people from far and near visit them to understand the mystery behind their super long existence.

Where to find them?

You can find these in the higher mountains of the southwest United States, where they grow in isolated groves. If you want to check out the oldest of them, you’ll have to visit Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White Mountains of California. Here, you will be surrounded by the oldest living organisms in the world. The life of these trees has been estimated to be more than 5,000 years, which is no less a wonder!

These trees grow till 5,000 and 10,000 ft, and at such great heights, Bristlecone pines keep up through horrendous temperature and weather. Also the wind blows constantly in the region and the soil turns too dry because of less rainfall. Given these conditions, the Bristlecone pines grow slowly compared to other trees, and in some trees, the growth is negligible, it is that slow.

White Mountains of California


White Mountains of California is home to the oldest Bristlecone pine tree, which is surprisingly 5,069 years old! There is another one which is 4,850 years old. However, no one knows the exact location of these two trees. It’s being kept as a secret to save these trees from hungry tourists, hikers and influencers, fearing they might cause damage to them. Also, back in the year 1964, a 4,862-year-old pine tree, which was known as Prometheus, was cut down soon after it was discovered.

As of now, Pinus longaeva are protected by the US Federal Government and harming these might cause trouble to people. For those who wish to have a closer look at the oldest living organisms on the Earth, they can visit either Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White Mountains, California or the Great Basin National Park, Nevada.