More than a list, the following is a tribute to these undaunted guardians of the world. It would be a good idea to plan a trip to visit each of them. Already Herman Hesse, in one of the most beautiful writings on trees, said that «there is nothing more exemplary and holier than a beautiful and strong tree».
A tree says: my strength is trust. I don’t know anything about my parents, I don’t know anything about the thousands of offspring that come from me every year. I live until the end of the secret of my seed, I have no other concern. Trees have long, neat and serene thoughts, as well as a life span longer than ours. They are wiser than we are, while we do not listen to them. But when we learn to listen to the trees, the brevity, rapidity, and childlike haste of our thoughts take on unprecedented joy. Whoever has learned to listen to trees no longer wants to be a tree. You don’t want to be more than what you are.
1. Methuselah
This long-lived pine (or bristlecone pine) is 4,841 years old. It is officially the oldest living organism in the world. It is found somewhere in the White Mountains of California, however its specific location is being kept a secret to protect it from the public. (An older species called Prometheus, which was around 4,900 years old, was cut down by a researcher in 1964 with the permission of the US Forest Service.) Today you can visit the region where Methuselah stands, but you have to guess which tree it is. . To find out more head here.
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2. Sarv-e Abarqu
Also called Zaroastrian Sarv, it is a cypress that lives in the province of Yartz, in Iran. The tree is estimated to be at least 4,000 years old and, having seen the entire history of civilization pass through, it is considered an Iranian national monument. Most likely this beautiful cypress is the oldest living organism in Asia.
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3. Yew Llangernyw
This impressive yew tree resides in a small graveyard at St. Dygain’s Church, in Llangernyw, Wales. Nearly 4,000 years old, the yew was planted sometime in the Prehistoric Bronze Age, and it continues to grow. In 2002, in celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee, the tree was designated as one of the 50 Important English Trees by the Council of Trees.
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4. Larch
Alerce is a common name for the species Fitzroy cupressacea, a towering tree native to the Andes. It is difficult to know how many years these trees can live, since most of the tallest specimens were felled in the 19th and 20th centuries. Many botanists believe that they are the second longest-lived trees on Earth after the bristlecone of North America. As of today, the oldest of all is 3,640 years old.
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5. The Senator
Located in Florida, the Senator is the oldest bald cypress in the United States, and is considered to be the oldest of its kind. It is estimated to be around 3,500 years old. Its size is truly impressive since it has survived several hurricanes, including one in 1925 in which it reduced its size to 40 feet.
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6. Patriarch of Forest
This tree, an example of the species Cariniana legalis, inhabits Brazil and is estimated to be around 3,000 years old. It is believed to be sacred, but its species is seriously endangered due to deforestation in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela.
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7. The olive tree of Vouves
This ancient olive tree is on the island of Crete, in Greece, and is one of only seven olive trees in the Mediterranean that are at least 2.00 years old. Although its exact age cannot be verified, the Vouves olive tree may be the oldest of them, estimated to be over 3,000 years old. It still produces olives, and they are highly valued. Olive trees are resistant to fire, floods and disease, which is partly why they can live for so many years and continue to bear delicious fruit.
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8. Jomon Sugi
Located in Yakushima, Japan, this is the largest and oldest cryptometria tree (a genus of conifer) on the island, and is one of the big reasons UNESCO declared the site a World Heritage Site. The tree is at least 2,000 years old, but some experts believe it could be as old as 5,000. Under that theory, it is possible that Jōmon Sugi is the oldest tree on Earth.
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9. The Cataño of the hundred horses
This tree, located on Mount Edna in Sicily, is the largest and oldest chestnut in the world. It is believed to be between 2,000 and 4,000 years old, and is particularly shocking as Mount Edna has some of the strongest volcanic activity in the world. The tree resides just 8 kilometers from Edna crater. Its name originated from the legend in which a company of 100 knights fell victim to a severe electrical storm and were able to take shelter under this massive tree. It is listed by the Guinness Record as the world’s widest trunk, at 190 feet in circumference.
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