The oldest confirmed non-clonal organism on earth is the Great Basin bristlecone pine!  It is more than a couple hundred years older than the Great Pyramids – that’s crazy!

The Great Basin bristlecone pine is one of three species of bristlecone pines. They’re famous for surviving some of the harshest conditions over millennia. The most ancient known of these trees grows in California; but you can also find them in Nevada, Colorado, and Utah.

Bristlecone pines do grow throughout the forest, however, the ancient trees can only be found around 10,000 feet in elevation where most other things can’t survive. These trees are usually no more than 25 feet tall.

Trees at higher elevations generally grow slower than lower-elevation trees because the harsher conditions stunt their growth. However, climate change is allowing them to grow faster due to increased temperatures.

These trees have supported thousands of animals. We need to protect our ancient trees and forests as they not only sequester carbon, but also provide incredible and long lasting ecosystems and habitats for our wildlife. Let’s support nature together.