The oldest tree in the world was alive when Stonehenge was under construction

[mcar]

and around the time humans developed their first writing system

https://m.thevintagenews.com/2017/12/10/oldest-tree-in-the-world/

Hidden in the mountains of California, Nevada, and Utah, lurk some of the oldest known long-living species of the Great Basin bristlecone pine, or Pinus longaeva. One member of this species, noted to be 5066 years old, is considered the oldest known living organism on Earth. The ancient tree can be found in the White Mountains in California, but its exact location is kept secret. The tree was cored by specialist Edmund Shulman, dedicated researcher and explorer of long-lived trees, and its age was determined by Tom Harlan.

The age of the tree means that it was alive while Stonehenge was under construction and around the time when the first writing system was invented in Sumeria.

Dating from the Bronze Age, the Great Basin bristlecone pine belongs to a species that does not grow taller than 15 meters, and its trunk does not extend in diameter more than 3.6 meters. These ancient trees have knotted and gnarled appearance, especially those growing at higher altitudes. They also have reddish-brown bark with deep fissures. The Great Basin bristlecone pine differentiates from the Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine in its needles; the first always have a pair of unceasing resin canals, and so lack the emblematic small white resin flecks of the second. Unique too are its cones that are more rounded compared to the more pointed ones of the other species.

[shanny]

1. I planted an oak in my yard as my "century tree"

and a pinus longaeva as my millennium tree--here's hoping they live that long.

[Kaleva]

2. The trees ran out of topics to discuss 4000 years ago.

[struggle4progress]

3. I saw that grove some forty years ago: those are some tough survivors

but they're surprisingly fragile, too

[Blue_true]

16. I am glad that they are being protected. If not l, they will be gone within a decade. nt

[yuiyoshida]

4. Don't tell Trump where that Tree is...

He will be sure to cut it down and use it for firewood at the White House, just as a
"Fuck You" to the American people.

[mcar]

5. Him or one of his Deplorables

[Lucky Luciano]

8. THat pretty much sums up his mentality. nt

[tblue37]

6. What a coincidence! So was I! nt

[mcar]

10. Tell us the stories!

[DavidDvorkin]

7. On the other hand

the stones that make up Stonehenge predate that tree by lots and lots and lots and lots and ...

[Duppers]

12. So does the calcium in my bones.

[defacto7]

13. Every once in a while I hike across

some recently redated 2.3 billion year old metamorphic gneiss (previously 1.7 billion). I bet that predates Stonehenge rock. Just saying.

[DavidDvorkin]

14. Stone wars!

[G_j]

9. Amazing!

In the Snake Range at an elevation of 9,500 to 11,000 feet, ancient limber and bristlecone pines grow slowly in the Great Basin National Park in Nevada. Many of the bristlecone pines are 3000 to 5000 years old.

[mcar]

11. I saw a tree here in FL that is 2000 years old

And thought that was amazing. But these trees...

[brer cat]

15. That is amazing, mcar.

"...its exact location kept secret." It's sad to think why that is necessary.

[mcar]

17. Is is a sad statement about humankind

[DemoTex]

18. Amongst the Ancient Bristlecones - Inyo National Forest

Ancient Bristlecone grove at almost 12,000' in the White Mountains east of Bishop, California.