Did you know that some trees can last for thousands of years? Now think about how durable your hardwood floor could be! Here are some interesting facts about trees.
Some trees, such as palm trees, can only live for 40 or 50 years, while others can commonly live for thousands of years. It all depends on the species. The tree with the longest lifespan in the United States is the bristlecone pine, which grows in southern California and the mountains of Nevada.
Most species live up to a few hundred years, so they can easily outlive a person and even some countries. For instance, many of the giant redwoods on California’s central coast were around when Columbus arrived in the New World, as well as when the founding fathers rebelled against England, and they will still be alive in the next several hundred years.
Clonal trees have been around for tens of thousands of years. These ancient trees have been able to witness the rise and fall of civilizations, survived climate changes, and have seen the development of human industry. These are some of the world's oldest living trees.
Old Tjikko
The oldest known living tree on Earth was planted sometime during the last Ice Age, about 9,550 years ago. A 16-foot tree in the Dalarna province of Sweden, Old Tjikko’s root system started at a time when the British Isles were still connected to the European continent by an ice bridge. Geologist Leif Kullman, who found the tree, named it after his late dog.
Methuselah
Until 2013, an ancient bristlecone pine called Methuselah was the oldest non-clonal organism in the world. While Methuselah still stood at the old age of 4,848 in 2016, another bristlecone pine was discovered in the White Mountains of California that is more than 5,000 years old. Both of these trees' exact locations are kept a secret in order to preserve them. You can visit the grove where Methuselah resides, but you need to guess at which tree it is.
Llangernyw
This amazing yew grows in the village of Llangernyw in a small churchyard of St. Dygain's Church, North Wales. The tree is about 4,000 years old, which means it was planted sometime in the prehistoric Bronze Age—and it still continues to grow!
Zoroastrian Sarv
A tree in central Iran called The Zoroastrian Sarv is considered an Iranian National Monument. The 4,000-year-old cypress tree took root around the time when Central Asia’s ancient people were inventing wheels with spokes, and it has witnessed the rising of modern civilization.
Fitzroya Cupressoides
Fitzroya cupressoides, a type of skinny, tall evergreen tree in the Andes Mountains, are some of the oldest trees on Earth. Commonly known as the alerce, many of these soaring trees have been logged in the last two hundred years. Scientists have been protecting one specific tree, which is believed to be more than 3,600 years old.
One can't help but be in awe of the longevity of these creations of nature. If you want a reliable hardwood floor that will be there for generations to come, don't hesitate to contact us!Would you like to talk with us about hardwood floors? We’re here to help. Contact us at 920-984-3383, 800-354-9902, or info@ralphshardwood.com. Showroom appointments are available.
