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It is well known that trees can become extremely old, since their organism is very different from that of other living things. They spend time of their lives in one place and can even survive several generations of people. Nevertheless, there are some trees on earth that can reach almost unbelievable ages. There is even a tree that witnessed how mankind first grew grain.
Oldest Tree
A spruce almost 10,000 years old
The oldest tree in the world is an approximately 9,550-year-old Picea abies (Norway spruce) from the Swedish province of Dalarna in the heart of the country. Located in Fulufjället National Park, it appears extremely unassuming in terms of its appearance or trunk. Since spruce doesn't have really wide trunks even when it is old, it looks like an old tree that has been plagued by the harsh weather conditions in this area. Nevertheless, the specimen was able to prove itself and presents itself in the following growth form.
- Height: 5m
- forms a new tribe about every 600 years
- different root layers were found
- stands almost solitary
root
The different root layers indicate different stages of growth that Old Fjikko has gone through. These have been found by researchers and allow dating to the possible age of the tree, giving a good insight into the growth stages of the crop.
The roots found are of different ages:
- 375
- 5.660
- 9.000
- 9.550
The strong root system of the flat root grows again and again and ensures the survival of the tree. However, the current tribe is not the same as it was almost 10,000 years ago, but is reborn again and again in a rhythm of almost 600 years. This can also be seen in the numerous smaller shoots of the spruce, which act like a bed for the main trunk and at the same time provide support during growth. The numerous new shoots develop trunks that make it possible for the spruce to be the oldest tree in the world.
Notice: Old Tjikko was discovered by the physiogeographer Leif Kullman, who cited global warming as the reason for the rapid growth of the spruce. He named the spruce after his deceased dog.
old
Oldest tree on earth - how is that possible?
Such old age is only possible through this form of reproduction that spruces like Old Tjikko use. In order to be the oldest specimen in the world, the spruce clones itself via sinkers or sprouting new trunks. This preserves the root system and allows for reproduction that cannot be stopped unless the tree is uprooted or otherwise damaged beyond repair. The growth form of the tree may have evolved as follows over the millennia.
- at the beginning Krummholz formation due to ice age
- normal tree shape after heating
- Formation of other tribes
- old tribe dies, young tribe takes place
growth
Since humans did not interfere with the growth of the tree, Old Tjikko was able to develop in peace and adapt its location directly to itself. Despite the harsh conditions in this area, the spruce stands firm and has no problem with drought or snow. The snow even helps the young parts of the tree produce more sinkers. The weight of the snow pushes branches down to the ground, making reproduction possible. If Old Tjikko continues to stand untouched, it can theoretically continue to grow and age.
Notice: Researchers were able to obtain this information through radiocarbon dating, which measures dead organic material to the decayed, radioactive carbon. This means that all finds can be dated very precisely up to an age of 60,000 years.
events
What has the Old Tjikko experienced?
As the eldest, Old Tjikko witnessed numerous important events not only in human history but also in Earth history. The specimen was present when people first began farming. The first types of grain were rice and millet. Likewise, in the early years of the plant, the domestic cat was domesticated. A human find from this period is the Koelbjerg Man, the oldest bog body in the world. Furthermore, the following events are worth mentioning, since Old Tjikko was able to observe the rise of man from the Mesolithic.
- At that time, the Sahara was not just a desert, but also a habitat for numerous creatures, including humans
- End of the last Ice Age about 10,000 years ago
- England was connected to Europe by a land bridge, and suddenly became an island due to the rise in sea level after the Ice Age
- first records of trade relations between human peoples in the Near East more than 6,500 years ago
- Construction of the Pyramids of Giza about 2,500 years ago
- 1184 BC BC: Fall of Troy
- 776 BC BC: first Olympic Games
- 551 BC BC: Birth of Confucius
- 336 - 323 BC BC: Alexander Empire
- 6th v. BC: actual birth of Jesus of Nazareth
- AD 30: Crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth
This is just a small selection of the events that Old Tjikko has lived through as the oldest tree. Such an age is remarkable for a single plant and shows how enduring plants can be.
uncloned
Oldest non-cloned tree
Compared to Old Tjikko, the oldest tree is a long-lived pine (Pinus longaeva) in California's White Mountains, which dates back to 3050 BC. is estimated. That makes you over 5,000 years old. This specimen is a pine that still consists of the original trunk, without sustaining itself through sinkers, rhizomes or other systems. Only other side trunks are formed, which is typical for pines. This makes it the oldest specimen whose form has existed for several thousand years and was able to reach such a lifespan due to its slow growth.
Notice: In addition to this pine, which is the oldest non-cloned pine on earth, there is also the Methuselah specimen. This is also located in the White Mountains and is said to have existed since 2711 BC. BC, making it the second oldest example of the long-lived pines.
Germany
Oldest tree in Germany
The oldest specimen from Germany is the thousand-year-old linden tree in Schenklengsfeld, which is in the municipality of the same name in eastern Hesse. It is a large-leaved lime tree estimated to be between 1,250 and 1,300 years old. The probable date of birth of the linden tree is said to be the year 760, since there is a stone in the middle of the four main trunks of the lineage that has this inscription. Due to the massive trunk circumference of almost 18 meters, the individual parts of the linden tree have had to be supported by scaffolding since the beginning of the 20th century in order to be able to carry the linden roof with a circumference of 120 meters at all.
Notice: In the Middle Ages and later, the linden tree was used as a place for imprisonment and there was even a pillory set up there.
exception
One exception: Pando
In terms of age, Pando would be the oldest tree compared to Old Tjikko. However, Pando, an American Aspen from Utah, is not actually a single tree, but a colony (genet) that grew out of a single tree. Over an incredible period of an estimated 80,000 years, this has expanded from one specimen via rhizomes, making it the heaviest, largest and oldest organism in the world today. However, despite the impressive number of 47,000 tree trunks, Old Tjikko remains the oldest single tree, as spruces do not form genetes.