Methuselah (tree) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Methuselah |
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The Methuselah Grove
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| 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 BCE |
| Custodian | United States Forest Service |
Methuselah is an amazing Great Basin bristlecone pine tree. It grows high up in the White Mountains of eastern California. This tree is incredibly old, over 4,856 years! It is known as the oldest non-clonal tree in the world. This means it grew from a single seed, unlike some plants that spread from roots or stems.
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Where Methuselah Lives
Methuselah lives in a special place called the "Methuselah Grove." This grove is part of the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. It's located within the Inyo National Forest in California. The tree grows very high up, about 2,900 to 3,000 meters (9,500 to 9,800 feet) above sea level. To protect this ancient tree, its exact spot in the grove is kept a secret. The United States Forest Service helps keep it safe.
The Oldest Tree in the World
Methuselah was found to be 4,789 years old when it was studied. This happened around 1957 by scientists Edmund Schulman and Tom Harlan. They figured out that the tree likely started growing in 2833 BC. By studying its tree rings, scientists can even learn about rainfall patterns from as far back as 1983 BC!
Other Ancient Trees
Another very old bristlecone pine tree was called "Prometheus." It was more than 4,844 years old when it was cut down in 1964. Scientists believe it started growing around 2880 BC.
In 2009, another bristlecone pine was thought to be even older. A scientist named Tom Harlan said it was 5,062 years old in 2010. Sadly, after Harlan passed away in 2013, no one could find the tree or the sample that proved its age.
What is a Clonal Organism?
Methuselah is special because it's the oldest non-clonal tree. This means it grew from one seed. Some other living things are much older, but they are "clonal colonies." This means they are groups of plants that are genetically identical. They spread by sending out new roots or stems, not by growing from a single seed.
For example, there's a group of quaking aspen trees called "Pando" in Utah. It might be 80,000 years old! Another example is a creosote bush colony called "King Clone" in the Mojave Desert. It's about 11,700 years old. There's also a Norway spruce colony named "Old Tjikko" in Sweden, which is 9,500 years old. These are all amazing, but Methuselah is still the oldest known living thing that grew from just one seed.
See also
In Spanish: Matusalén (árbol) para niños
