Oldest Trees in the World and Where You Can See Them
A few things on this planet are old enough to make history books look recent, and that includes some living trees that have weathered through tons of challenges. Scientists have dated them, and locals have named them. And while not all of them are easy to spot, every one of them is still very much alive.
Methuselah – California, United States
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Methuselah is estimated to be around 4,855 years old. It is a bristlecone pine that grows in California’s White Mountains. It holds the record for the world’s oldest confirmed living non-clonal tree. The U.S. Forest Service keeps its exact location secret to prevent damage, but it lives somewhere along the Methuselah Trail in Inyo National Forest.
Old Tjikko – Dalarna, Sweden
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Old Tjikko isn’t the world’s oldest tree above ground, but its root system tells a different story. This clonal Norway spruce dates back roughly 9,560 years, according to carbon dating. It regenerates new trunks as old ones die. The current visible stem is only a few centuries old, but its roots have outlasted entire human civilizations.
Alerce de la Laguna – Patagonia, Chile
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This Patagonian cypress, Alerce de la Laguna, has been growing for more than 3,600 years. It belongs to the same species as the famous Gran Abuelo but doesn’t draw the same crowd. Researchers found it while studying old-growth Alerce forests.
Sarv-e Abarkuh – Yazd Province, Iran
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Many think it is the oldest living thing in Asia. In the heart of Abarkuh, Iran, this Persian cypress that may have been growing for more than 4,000 years is officially recognized as a national natural monument. Unlike secretive bristlecones or remote mountain junipers, this ancient tree is easy to visit.
Gran Abuelo (Alerce Milenario) – Valdivia, Chile
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Scientists confirmed at least 2,400 tree rings, with computer modeling estimating its total age at 5,484 years. Though that upper figure remains debated, it’s certainly ancient. Visitors can walk around the base of this massive tree, nicknamed “Gran Abuelo” or “Great Grandfather.”
Llangernyw Yew – Conwy, Wales
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St. Digain’s Church in North Wales has an ancient yew, its twisted trunk and branches tangled across centuries of local history. Some say it took root nearly 4,000 years ago. Nobody’s ever managed to count the rings inside—too much of the tree is hollow—but botanists consider it a true survivor. Local legends say it’s linked to Angelystor, the mythical “Recording Angel.”
BLK 227 Bald Cypress – North Carolina, United States
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On the banks of North Carolina’s Black River, scientists found a bald cypress that started growing over 2,600 years ago. They keep its exact spot a secret, hoping to protect the region’s rare giants. This tree is the oldest confirmed east of the Rockies, and the river’s swamps shelter many more ancient cypresses.
Jōmon Sugi – Yakushima, Japan
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Jōmon Sugi stands high in the misty forests of Yakushima Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cryptomeria tree, estimated to be between 2,000 and 7,000 years old, is the largest and oldest of its kind in Japan. It sits at an elevation of over 4,000 feet, reachable only by a long hike.
Fortingall Yew – Perthshire, Scotland
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Some say the Fortingall Yew is up to 9,000 years old, though scientific estimates tend to cap it at 5,000. It’s been respected for centuries and reportedly associated with early Christian rituals. While its core has decayed and makes ring counts impossible, the sheer girth of the tree lends credibility to its extreme age.
Olive Tree of Vouves – Crete, Greece
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This olive tree on the island of Crete is still producing olives after more than 3,000 years. The Olive Tree of Vouves may not have an exact confirmed age, but it’s one of the oldest living olive trees in the Mediterranean. Tourists can visit the tree and a nearby museum dedicated to olive cultivation, making this a flavorful stop for history and food lovers alike.
CB-90-11 – Colorado, United States
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High on the slopes of Colorado’s Almagre and Black Mountains, researchers documented CB-90-11, a bristlecone pine that took root at least 2,400 years ago. Unlike the famously ancient bristlecones of California and Nevada, these Rocky Mountain pines tend to be less celebrated. Still, CB-90-11 stands as a silent witness to centuries of wind, snow, and sun in Colorado’s thin mountain air.
Tree of One Hundred Horses – Sicily, Italy
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This chestnut tree, growing near Mount Etna’s active slopes, is said to be 2,000 to 4,000 years old. It’s famous for its girth, which is roughly 190 feet around, and the local legend that 100 knights once took shelter beneath its branches during a storm. The tree continues to fascinate scientists and storytellers alike with its massive canopy and mythical name.
Unnamed Bristlecone Pine – California, United States
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Somewhere in the White Mountains, scientists believe there’s another bristlecone pine older than Methuselah. This mystery tree, based on lab records and partial core data, could be over 4,800 years old. Researchers haven’t been able to confirm its age with certainty due to decay in the core sample. Still, its existence adds a bit of quiet drama to the ancient pine groves of Inyo National Forest.
Qilian Juniper – Qinghai, China
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In 2009, scientists identified a 2,230-year-old Qilian juniper in the remote mountains of Qinghai Province, China. It was one of nearly 100 trees over 1,000 years old found in the area, thanks to the region’s protection from logging and development.
Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi – Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka
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This sacred fig tree, planted in 288 BCE, holds a unique place in history as the oldest known tree planted by humans with a recorded date. Its unique history makes it a major pilgrimage site: it is grown from a cutting of the original Bodhi tree in India, under which Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment. Despite its age, it’s lovingly maintained and easily accessible within a protected temple complex.