the essentials in brief
- Trees can be divided into clonal (clones growing from common roots) and non-clonal trees (trees with their own root system)
- the common spruce “Old Tjikko” in the Swedish National Park (Dalarna region) is said to be 9,500 years old
- The long-lived pine in the USA is said to be over 5000 years old
"Every branch of a tree knows a story - an old tree is history." (Klaus Ender, German-Austrian author and artist)
also read
- Where is the oldest living oak in the world?
- The largest trees in the world
- Growing trees yourself - this is how a seed becomes a large tree
Which is the oldest tree in the world?
4000, 9500 or even 80,000 years, how old is the oldest tree in the world actually? There is no concrete answer to this question, which is why you can find different information about this very special individual. The answer to the question of which tree is the oldest is primarily a matter of definition. Trees grow very differently, either clonally or non-clonally and therefore also reach different ages - and therefore “the” oldest tree basically doesn't exist. However, numerous trees or groups of trees can be made out that are several thousand years old.
Clonal trees
Strictly speaking, clonal trees are clones that sprout either alone or in groups from a common root system. The tree clones can reach an age of several thousand to tens of thousands of years, as shown by the Norway spruce “Old Tjikko” in the Swedish National Park (Dalarna region). This single clone is said to be an unbelievable 9,500 years old, although the dating only applies to parts of its root system. The above-ground parts of “Old Tjikko”, however, are only a few centuries old.
So why is “Old Tjikko” considered one of the oldest trees in the world when the actual tree is actually not that old for a spruce? The reason for this classification is the ability of this conifer species to reproduce again and again from the root system - practically to clone. If the old trunk of the spruce dies, a new, genetically identical one grows out of the enduring root system. Some tree species have this ability of repetitive vegetative self-reproduction. Another impressive example of such ancient clone trees is Pando, an approximately 14,000 year old clone colony of American quivering aspen. This applies to the oldest and heaviest living thing on earth.
Non-clonal trees
In contrast to the clonal trees, which practically grow again and again from their root system, non-clonal trees are actual individuals whose above-ground parts such as trunk and crown have defied wind, weather and history for thousands of years. You often don't see their age at first glance of these impressive figures, but people are amazed at their sight. Some of these trees germinated at a time when the Bronze Age people in Europe were learning to work metal. The following individuals belong to the oldest non-clonal trees:
- Long-lived pine : this nameless tree in the USA is said to be over 5000 years old and has been officially the oldest tree on earth since 2013
- Methuselah : a long-lived pine tree (Pinus longaeva) in the Inyo National Forest (Nevada, USA), estimated to be over 4,700 years old
- Prometheus : was also a long-lived pine that was felled in 1964 to determine its age. Her age: 4862 years
The appearance and the exact location of the oldest tree - as well as other impressive tree specimens such as “Hyperion”, the tallest tree in the world - is kept secret by the American forestry authorities in order to prevent the rush of visitors and thus endangering the trees. Nevertheless, it is worth visiting the American national parks, for example the aforementioned Inyo National Forest. There are numerous “methusalems” that are estimated to be several thousand years old. Who knows, maybe scientists will find an even older specimen there soon?
background
The mightiest trees in the world
A visit to the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park in California (USA) is also worthwhile. Not only are the tallest trees here, but also some of the several thousand year old trees. This also includes the General Sherman Tree, which, with an estimated age of 2,500 years and a volume of 1,490 cubimeters, is considered to be the most powerful tree in the world. And the giant sequoia tree (Sequoiadendron giganteum) has not yet finished growing. In second place of the mightiest trees on earth is another giant sequoia, the approximately 1,900 year old and 1,357 cubic meter tall General Grant Tree in Kings Canyon National Park in California.Which is the oldest tree in Germany?
In Germany around 90 billion trees grow in only 90 different species. In this country, these are not nearly as old as the examples from Sweden or the USA just presented. However, there are some “millennial” oaks, linden trees and yew trees, which are rarely actually 1000 years old. Rather, these trees are between 500 and 800 years old and the term “thousand years” refers to a generally old age. Nonetheless, they are very impressive individuals who were famous for their peculiarity centuries ago and are worth seeing:
| Surname | genus | Approximate age | Trunk circumference | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old oak | Oak | 800 to 1100 years | 11 meters | Dausenau (Rhineland-Palatinate) |
| Old yew from Balderschwang | yew | 800 to 1500 years | 8.1 meters | Balderschwang (Bavaria) |
| Millennial linden tree | Summer linden tree | 500 to 1200 years | 10.5 meters | Puch (Bavaria) |
| Tanzlinde | Summer linden tree | 800 to 1000 years | 8.3 meters | Effeltrich (Bavaria) |
| Fat Marie | English oak | 800 years | 6.65 meters | Berlin (oldest tree in Berlin) |
| Linden tree in Schenklengsfeld | Summer linden tree | 1000 years | 17.4 meters | Schenklengsfeld (Hessen) is the oldest tree in Germany |
| Millennial yew | yew | over 900 years | - | Kirchwistedt (Lower Saxony) |
| Frederick oak | English oak | around 1000 years | 8.11 meters | Hude (Lower Saxony) |
| Giant linden tree to Heede | Summer linden tree | 500 to 1000 years | 15.39 meters | Heede (Lower Saxony) is the largest linden tree in Europe |
| Yew tree on the Rath House | yew | more than 800 years | 4.5 meters | Krefeld-Elfrath (North Rhine-Westphalia) |
| Femeiche | English oak | 600 to 850 years | 12 meters | Raesfeld-Alder (North Rhine-Westphalia), oldest court tree in Europe |
The following video presents the most impressive old trees in Germany:
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The Ivenack oaks in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
If you are on holiday in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, you should definitely take a look at the Ivenack oaks. The impressive group of English oaks are between 500 and 1000 years old, making them one of the oldest trees in Europe. They can be admired in the extensive park of Ivenack Castle near Stavenhagen (Mecklenburg Lake District). As a special attraction, there is also a treetop path to climb that was only built a few years ago and is also passable for wheelchair users and prams.
How can trees even get so old?
Hardly any other living being can reach such an old age as trees. First and foremost, the ability to reach a truly biblical age lies in the modular structure of the trees: In contrast to humans and many animals, their vital body elements are present several times and are constantly repeated. If a person's heart stops, they die - on the other hand, if the trunk of a tree rots away, it can still survive. Trees are able to simply grow back lost parts - for example branches and twigs torn away by a storm - and thus replace them.
In addition, many trees - such as the long-lived pine Pinus longaeva - do not have a programmed end of life cycle, such as many annual summer flowers. While a dandelion blooms, then devotes all its energy to the formation of seeds and finally dies, trees are true survivors.
Permanent renewal
In short: their ability to constantly grow and thus to be permanently renewed help the trees to an old age of several hundred to a thousand years. It is true that individual parts of the plant - because this is what it is - always die off, but the organism itself keeps growing and replaces the lost organs.
However, the tree's own growth will eventually become fatal, because large trees are more difficult to provide with sufficient water and nutrients than small ones, and the giants are much more exposed to the forces of weather such as storms and heavy rain. That is also the reason why many very old trees are not necessarily tall. Exceptions such as the giant sequoia trees in the USA confirm the rule.
Cloning as a survival strategy
Some tree species that are primarily at home in difficult habitats pursue a very special survival strategy. Spruce and pine have the ability to regenerate themselves again and again from a common root system - even if the trunk, which is not too old, dies on the surface. In this case, a new clone simply grows from the underground roots, which has the same genetic makeup and is genetically completely identical to its predecessor.
Location and environmental conditions
It is noticeable that the oldest trees in Germany are not in forests - but instead often as individual specimens in a village square, in a castle park or in a rectory garden. Forest trees, on the other hand, rarely or never reach this age - why is that? The reason for this is quite simple: German forests have been cultivated intensively for centuries, and up until 150 years ago, the former primeval forests were almost completely cleared to create fields and settlement areas. Afforestation took place slowly afterwards, and forests are still part of the forestry areas. A forest tree is only a few decades old on average before it is felled for further economic use.
Village linden and park tree did not share this fate, instead these trees were cherished and tended. This is especially true for the village linden, which often formed the center of the village and was considered the place of jurisdiction.
How do you measure the age of a tree?
The older a tree is, the more difficult it is to determine its age. Many very old specimens no longer have a complete trunk, instead this has broken into individual trunks and the inner, oldest parts are missing. A simple count of the annual rings or the radiocarbon measurement (C14 dating) cannot be done in this case, instead the age is estimated based on various factors. Dendrochronologists, so-called annual ring researchers, are responsible for such estimates. Incidentally, it is not necessary to pull down the entire tree to determine its age: Instead, the researchers drill core holes where possible, take samples and can thus count the annual rings.
Historical documents
Sometimes historical documents help determine the age of a tree. For example, there are records from the late Middle Ages about the planting of a certain tree at the location in question, or documents or paintings from the last 300 years that show the specimen as a very old tree - in the hollow interior of which soldiers were hidden, for example, to the extent to clarify the cavity.
How old can trees get in general?
Depending on the location, growth conditions and environmental influences, the different tree species reach very different ages. Typically, city trees do not get nearly as old as their natural relatives, which has to do with the higher concentration of exhaust gases and fine dust, the strong compression and the soil clogging, but also with the winter use of road salt. In the following table we have compiled the average life expectancy of common trees in Germany for you:
| Tree species | Latin name | Average life expectancy |
|---|---|---|
| Apple tree | Malus domestica | around 50 years |
| Sweetgum tree | Liquidambar | 100 years |
| Tree hazel | Corylus colurna | 80 years |
| Sycamore maple | Acer pseudoplatanus | 400 to 500 years |
| Mountain elm | Ulmus glabra | 400 to 500 years |
| pear tree | Pyrus | 50 years |
| rowan | Sorbus aucuparia | 80 to 100 years |
| Ash | Fraxinus excelsior | 250 to 300 years |
| Sweet chestnut | Castanea sativa | 450 to 500 years |
| Field maple | Acer campestre | 150 years |
| Hornbeam | Carpinus betulus | 150 years |
| plane | Platanus | 300 years |
| buckeye | Aesculus hippocastanum | 150 to 200 years |
| European beech | Fagus sylvatica | 200 to 300 years |
| Sand birch | Betula pendula | 60 to 80 years |
These tree species get particularly old
Basically, slow-growing trees reach a much higher age than fast-growing trees, which explains the predominance of oaks, yews and linden trees among the tree themes. The yew trees are also highly toxic, which makes the species almost invulnerable to pests and pathogens. In Germany, these tree species in particular reach a very old age:
| Art | Latin name | Life expectancy |
|---|---|---|
| European yew | Taxus baccata | 1000 years |
| Summer linden tree | Tilia platyphyllos | 900 to 1000 years |
| English oak | Quercus robur | 500 to 1000 years |
| Sessile oak | Quercus petraea | 700 years |
| Silver fir | Abies alba | 600 years |
frequently asked Questions
Which is the oldest tree species in the world?
Charles Darwin already described the Ginkgo biloba as a “living fossil”, after all these trees have been on earth for 70 million years and therefore longer than any other tree species. Ginkgo do not belong to the deciduous or coniferous trees, but belong to a botanical class of their own.
Can you determine the age of a tree yourself?
With the help of a so-called tree table, dendrochronologists also determine the age of many trees. To do this, you have to measure the trunk of the tree at a height of one meter and multiply this dimension (in centimeters!) By a factor that varies depending on the species. This gives you a probable age based on the growth in thickness, but this has an inaccuracy of several decades. The following table gives you an overview:
| Tree species | Multiplying factor |
|---|---|
| Oaks, linden trees | 0.8 |
| Chestnuts, yew trees | 0.7 |
| Beech, maple (except field maple) | 0.6 |
| Elm, fir trees | 0.6 |
| Ash, alder, poplar | 0.5 |
| Spruce, larch | 0.5 |
| Walnut tree | 0.5 |
Tips
Bonsai trees can also live to be several decades or even centuries old, depending on the type and care. In Japan, some particularly old specimens are even considered family heirlooms.
