This pine tree is 4843 years old. It grew from a seed that fell to earth in 2832 BC. Methuselah is located on the side of White Mountain in California in the National Wildlife Refuge; the exact location of Methuselah is kept secret to prevent vandalism. The tree is named Methuselah after a biblical character who lived 969 years. The pine tree is now believed to be the oldest single (non-clonal) living organism on our planet.
The Methuselah pine is a true relic known to man. It is a plant that has yet to gain its name and popularity. It is in the Guinness Book of Records for one remarkable characteristic: its incredible zeal for life.
The origin story
Edmund Schulman discovered an unusual tree in 1953: the giant pine. The natural wonder he saw was so astonishing that he decided to investigate its age in more detail. It turned out to be about 4,000 years old.
The Methuselah pine is a true relic known to man. It is not for nothing that this plant has earned its name and popularity. It has been included in the Guinness Book of Records for one remarkable feature: its incredible struggle for life.
In 1953, Edmund Schulman discovered an unusual tree: the giant pine. The natural wonder he saw was so astonishing that he decided to investigate its age in more detail. It turned out to be about 4000 years old.
The age was the reason for the name: Methuselah is a mythical character.
According to biblical texts, he was not only the ancestor of mankind, but also the longest-lived man: Methuselah was 969 years old at the time of his death. His name has even become a nickname: the expression “the age of Methuselah” refers to extreme old age.
Main characteristics
- Occurs in North America. It grows mainly in eastern Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and California, as well as throughout Nevada and Utah.
- The colour of the bark is bright orange. It has deep cracks.
- The conifers grow in clusters of 5 to 7 and are dark green in colour. The life span of a leaf is about 45 years.
- The normal height of a mature tree is 5 to 15 metres.
- The trunk can reach a diameter of up to 3.6 metres.
Interesting facts
- Methuselah is the oldest tree on the planet, according to the Guinness Book of Records. However, in 2012, another tree of the same species was discovered that was about 200 years older. This relic has not been named and its location has not been revealed.
- Methuselah was first mentioned in National Geographic magazine in 1958.
- The exact age of the pine tree as of 2020 is 4,850 years.
- Scientists estimate that the seed germinated around 2831 BC.
- Methuselah is a non-clonal tree, also known as a solitary tree.
The Methuselah pine is a true relic known to man. It is not for nothing that this plant has earned its name and popularity. It has been included in the Guinness Book of Records for one remarkable feature: its incredible struggle for life.
In 1953, Edmund Schulman discovered an unusual tree: the giant pine. The natural wonder he saw was so astonishing that he decided to investigate its age in more detail. It turned out to be about 4000 years old.
The age was the reason for the name: Methuselah is a mythical character.
According to biblical texts, he was not only the ancestor of mankind, but also the longest-lived man: Methuselah was 969 years old at the time of his death. His name even became a common noun: the expression “the age of Methuselah” means extreme old age.
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