Methuselah (pine tree) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Methuselah |
|
|---|---|
The Methuselah Grove
|
|
| Species | Great Basin bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva) |
| Location | Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, in the White Mountains, Inyo County, California |
| Coordinates | 37°22′46″N 118°09′42″W / 37.3794°N 118.1618°W |
| Date seeded | 2833 BC (age 4857) |
| Custodian | United States Forest Service |
Methuselah is an incredibly old tree. It is a type of tree called a Great Basin bristlecone pine. This amazing tree grows high up in the White Mountains of Inyo County, in eastern California.
Methuselah is famous for being one of the oldest known trees in the world. It is a "non-clonal" tree. This means it grew from a single seed, not from a group of trees that are all connected. The tree is named after Methuselah, a very old person from the Bible. His name became a symbol for living a very long time.
Contents
Where Does Methuselah Live?
Methuselah lives in a special area called the "Methuselah Grove." This grove is part of the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. It is found within the Inyo National Forest. The tree grows at a high elevation, between 2,900 and 3,000 meters (about 9,500 to 9,800 feet) above sea level.
The United States Forest Service keeps Methuselah's exact spot a secret. They do this to protect the tree from harm. However, its location became more widely known after some photos and a documentary showed it. People worry that the tree could be damaged if too many visitors know its precise spot.
How Old Is Methuselah?
Scientists have studied Methuselah to figure out its age. In 1957, two researchers, Edmund Schulman and Tom Harlan, took a sample from the tree. They estimated that Methuselah was 4,789 years old at that time. This means it started growing around 2833 BC.
However, figuring out the exact age of very old trees can be tricky. Another scientist, Matthew Salzer, tried to re-check the age. He couldn't get the same result because a part of the original sample was missing. His estimate for the tree's age is a bit different.
Some other very old trees around the world might also be close in age or even older. For example, the Llangernyw Yew in Wales and the Fortingall Yew in Scotland are also thought to be thousands of years old. Scientists continue to study these ancient trees.
Other Ancient Bristlecone Pines
Methuselah is not the only ancient bristlecone pine. Another famous one was called "Prometheus." This tree was over 4,844 years old when it was cut down in 1964. It started growing around 2880 BC.
Scientists use samples from these trees to learn about Earth's climate history. They can study tree rings to understand what the weather was like thousands of years ago. One scientist, Tom Harlan, reported finding an even older bristlecone pine in 2009. He said it was 5,062 years old in 2010. Sadly, after he passed away, this tree and its sample could not be found.
Trees That Grow in Colonies
There are other living things that are even older than Methuselah. However, these are "clonal colonies." This means they are groups of plants that are all genetically identical. They grow from the same original plant, often through their root systems.
For example, there is a quaking aspen colony called "Pando" in Utah. Some estimates say it could be 80,000 years old! Another example is the creosote bush colony called "King Clone" in California. It is thought to be about 11,700 years old. There's also a Norway spruce colony in Sweden called "Old Tjikko" that is 9,500 years old.
Methuselah is special because it is a single tree that grew from one seed. It is the oldest known non-clonal organism with a confirmed age.
See also
- List of individual trees
- List of oldest trees
