(photo: “Methuselah, White Mountain, California” by Desires Photo)
Methuselah, the Great Basin bristlecone tree located high up in the White Mountains in California is recognized as the oldest non-clonal tree in the world and is 4,852 years old.
Named after the Biblical figure that lived for 969 years, the Methuselah Tree grows in the Methuselah Grove, which is in Inyo National Forest’s “Forest of Ancients,” where it is surrounded by other ancient trees. The exact location of the tree, though, is kept secret to protect it against vandalism.
It is estimated that the tree germinated in 2832 BCE, making Methuselah one of the oldest known living trees and non-clonal organism in the entire world. A germination date of 2832 BCE makes Methuselah older even than the Egyptian Pyramids.
