Each of us is assigned a certain period of life on the planet. And this applies not only to people; every animal and every plant has its own average and maximum possible age. However, most often we don’t even imagine how many years trees live? To what age can rowan and birch live, how long can oak, pine and linden live, what prospects for longevity does an apple tree have, and what is the life span of olive, lemon, peach and other trees? Let's try to answer these questions in detail, and also figure out which tree lives the longest.
How long does a rowan tree live?
Many people consider this plant to be a tree, but at its core it is a large shrub. This culture is capable of reaching ten meters, and the main value is its edible and highly beneficial fruits. Rowan can live up to a hundred years; it is extremely rare that its life span exceeds this date.
How many years does a birch tree live?
This tree is considered one of the symbols of Russia; it can be found in many parts of our country. Such a culture not only has an attractive appearance, but also characterized by a lot of medicinal qualities. And its lifespan is not very long - about a hundred years.
How long do oak trees live?
This tree is one of the longest-living crops. Its age can reach two thousand years. However average duration The life of an oak tree is three to four hundred years. Up to about one hundred and fifty years of age, this tree is capable of growing in height, and its thickness increases throughout the life of the plant. At the same time, the first color appears on the oak tree only at the age of twenty or thirty.
How long do pine trees live?
An ordinary forest pine lives about three hundred to five hundred years. Amazing property This plant lies in its amazing ecological plasticity, in other words, it can be found in the Arctic Circle, in the extreme south, in the plains, and in the highlands. Pines can grow in swamps and sand dunes, chalk or gypsum cliffs, and even on bare granite rock.
The lifespan of the European cedar pine is twice as long - it can live up to a thousand years.
Linden
This tree can grow for quite a long time; on average, its lifespan is three to four hundred years, and some crops can grow for more than a thousand years. Linden is amazing plant, because it is used both in industry and in medicine, both official and folk. This tree is also recognized as the most valuable honey plant.
Apple tree
It is believed that wild apple trees are the most durable; their age can reach one hundred and even one hundred and fifty years. And the average lifespan of a garden tree is approximately fifty years. The very first garden trees that reproduce without grafting grow longer - up to eighty years, and some crops can please their owners with a harvest for only twenty-five years.
How many years does he live? olive Tree?
Olive trees are long-lived; there are crops whose age reaches two thousand years. However, some varieties of such plants do not even cross the twenty-year mark.
When growing an olive from a seed, it begins to bear fruit only from ten to twelve years of age, and when cultivated from cuttings, it begins to bear fruit three to four years after planting. So it’s worth thinking about how to manage the time allotted to the tree.
How long does a lemon tree live?
The lifespan of a lemon tree directly depends on whether it is grown on a plantation or in room conditions. In the first case, his life expectancy averages one hundred to two hundred years, and in the second, it does not exceed seventy years.
How long does a peach tree live?
This tree, like the apple tree, is quite short-lived, which is most likely explained by the conditions of its cultivation. So in Russia, a peach tree usually lives from five to twenty years, and its lifespan in Turkey and Greece can reach hundreds of years.
Other fruit trees
Pears can also live for a short time - about a hundred years, but if they are cultivated in middle lane Russia, then their age is unlikely to exceed seventy years.
As for cherries and apricots, then southern lands they grow for about seventy years, and sometimes more, and in more unfavorable territories - only twenty-five to thirty years.
Experts say that the age of life of fruit plants is largely determined by the speed at which they enter fruiting. The sooner a tree begins to bear fruit after planting, the shorter its overall lifespan.
Walnut
Known to everyone Walnut lives about four hundred years. This culture is considered one of the most useful for humans, because almost every part of it can be used for a variety of purposes - as food, medicine or industrial raw materials.
Which tree lives the longest?
Experts say that the oldest tree can rightfully be called the Australian macrosamia, whose age has reached almost fifteen thousand years. In second place are Mexican cypress trees, they managed to reach the limit of ten thousand years. Following them comes dragon tree, whose age is a maximum of six thousand years.
Record holders for longevity are also considered mammoth trees from California and baobabs, the maximum age of these crops is five thousand years.
The most ancient trees in Russia can be called representatives of the berry yew, which grow in the city of Sochi, or rather, in the yew-boxwood grove. Such trees live for about two thousand years.
We talked to you about which trees live for how long. The lifespan of each plant depends on many factors, including growing conditions.
Trees are the plants with the longest lifespan. Domestic fruit trees can live more than 150 years. You can calculate the age of a tree by the number of rings on a cut of the tree. But this is not always an accurate fact. Several rings may appear in a year, or maybe not just one.
Coniferous trees live the longest. For example, the age of the Methuselah pine is 4772 years. The trunk circumference of this tree is 18 meters.
The oldest Tikko spruce. Its age is more than 9.5 thousand years.
Duration of fruit trees
Fruit trees can bear fruit for a long time, for example, apple and pear trees. The lifespan of these trees is approximately 100-150 years. Where climatic conditions softer, they can grow longer than this period. The life of a fruit seedling depends on how fruitful the tree is. Exist fruit trees and with a short lifespan, for example, peach. Such a tree grows from 5 to 20 years. It depends on growth and living conditions.
Duration of deciduous trees
Trees grown from seeds are very strong and live much longer. In grafted trees that grew from cuttings, life expectancy is shortened by 5-10 years. Deciduous trees include birch and oak. Birch under normal conditions and a favorable climate can live 300 years. As for oak, it is long-lived, life expectancy is 1000-1500 years.
Duration of conifers
Coniferous trees live the longest, unlike other trees, as these trees can live in harsh conditions weather conditions. Pine "Methuselah" is the oldest tree, it is listed in the Guinness Book of Records, its age is 4772 years.
The lifespan of all trees is affected by many different indicators:
- soil condition;
- weather;
- trees growing nearby;
- insect pests.
Consider the lifespan of some trees: 5000 years - sequoia; 1200 years old - cedar pine; 600 years old - juniper; 500 years - maple, chestnut; 400 - 500 years - eucalyptus; 400 years old - walnut, olive tree; 300 - 400 years-beech; 250 years - birch; 200 years - apple tree; 150-200 years - saxaul; 100 years - apricot; 80 years - rowan; 70 years - breadfruit; 50 years - quince; 25-30 years - sea buckthorn.
Proper care of people for trees can increase their lifespan, but this opinion is not always correct. People dream of harvesting faster and use artificial methods to achieve this. Trees from such influence lose their strength and become weak, stop bearing fruit and die altogether.
Trees are the longest-living organisms on our planet. Fifty specimens of these plants were found, the age of which exceeded the threshold of a millennium.
What affects the age of plants?
Long-term trees are possible for several reasons. Firstly, it is facilitated by the fact that these plants usually extract nutrients from the atmosphere. From the soil they take only ten percent of the substances necessary for life.
Even from children's fairy tales, each of us knows that many trees are long-lived. At the same time, being a hundred years old is just the beginning for them. It’s even difficult to imagine the fact that some plants that currently live on our planet stood dozens of centuries ago. They could see different cultures and civilization, as well as witness important historical events. If these trees could speak, then they would certainly be the main and reliable source for describing the stages of development of world history. However, today they are silent witnesses to many incidents, keeping all the secrets within themselves.
Long-lived trees are well known to everyone common spruce. This plant is widespread throughout our country, as well as in Europe and America.
Spruce is a conifer evergreen tree. The place of its distribution is our planet. Currently finding wide application V landscape design. Spruce also takes a leading place among coniferous species used for construction purposes.
It is believed that this tree was named from the ancient Roman word “pix”, which means “resin”. Indeed, the plant has an incredibly aromatic resin, the same as its needles.
Spruce has no leaves. Instead, needles grow. The tree reproduces by seeds produced inside the cones. The shape of the spruce crown is a geometrically clear cone. At the same time, the lower branches, which are located on the trunk close to the ground, are longer. Towards the top of the tree their size gradually decreases.
Spruce can grow in and also be integral part mixed arrays. Currently, it is difficult to find another tree that would be a symbol cultural traditions among many peoples. It is customary to celebrate Christmas with this plant and New Year not only in Russia, but also in Europe, as well as in America. Spruce is one of the favorite characters in fairy tales, cartoons, poems and songs. In other words, she is given far last role in the culture of many peoples.
The oldest spruce on the planet
How old can these long-lived trees reach? The oldest spruce on our planet grows in Sweden. It was discovered in the province of Dolarna on Mount Fulu. Today the age of the plant is 9550 years. At the same time, the ancient spruce looks quite young. Biologists have found an explanation for this fact. The spruce tree that currently stands in Sweden is the shoot of an ancient tree, the remains of which are located underground.
Sequoia
Long-lived trees are not necessarily giant giants. However, the sequoia, which has greatest age, equal to five thousand years, in addition to everything - one of the highest on Earth. Some of its specimens have a gigantic height, which can reach one hundred and fifteen meters. A person near such trees seems like just an ant.
The bark of the Californian redwood tree is very thick. Its thickness reaches thirty centimeters. The bark of this tree has interesting feature do not burn when in contact with fire. It is simply charred, which allows it to serve as a kind of body armor that protects the core.
These long-lived trees have a fabulous appearance. Walking in the forest where the redwoods grow, you simply forget about the real world.
Practical use
The tree is evergreen and belongs to the coniferous species. This symbol American state Californians belong to the Taxodiaceae family.
Sequoia is not only incredibly beautiful. The plant is resistant to decay processes, which makes its wood a valuable material for making furniture and sleepers, telegraph poles and paper. Even tiles are made from it.
A medium-sized sequoia has a trunk with a diameter of about eight meters. Moreover, every year its size increases by two and a half centimeters.
Baobabs
These will amaze any traveler with their appearance. From school we know that the trunk of this plant is the thickest on the planet. Its diameter can reach ten meters. But the height of an adult baobab cannot be called large. It ranges from eighteen to twenty-five meters.
Baobabs are the same long-lived trees as sequoias. Their age reaches five thousand years. The habitat of these trees is arid Africa. How do they manage to survive in difficult conditions? Wood helps plants with this. In its hygroscopic properties it resembles a sponge. During the rainy season, trees actively absorb water, which they use during dry periods.
In addition to “baobab”, there is also “adansonia”. In terms of its properties, this plant is one of the most amazing on our planet. The tree does not dry out, even if the bark is completely stripped from it. It easily builds up the protective cover again. The seeds of this tree are used to prepare a wonderful drink that resembles coffee. Baobab fruits are very nutritious. They are rich in vitamin C, calcium and have a pleasant taste. The shell of the fruit after drying becomes rock-hard. Therefore, in the future it is used as a glass or vessel. The ashes obtained after burning the fruit are one of the components in making soap.
Star anise
Some long-livers among trees have a very extravagant appearance. These plants include star anise, whose age can reach three thousand years. Unofficially, this species was called “tree-forest”. And this is not without reason. Star anise can have up to a thousand trunks. The main one is located in the center. Over time, thick shoots appear on it, which grow and take root. The oldest star anise is a tree that grows in India. It consists of three thousand small and the same number of large trunks. The last of them have diameters of up to six meters.
Star anise can be found in Northern Vietnam and Southeast China. It is cultivated in the Philippines, Japan, Abkhazia, India and Jamaica. The fragrant fruits of the plant are used as a spice.
What long-lived trees grow in Russia?
On the territory of our country you can find plants whose age reaches thousands of years. The longest-living trees in Russia are spruce, oak, silver poplar and large-leaved linden. These plants are usually found everywhere.
An interesting tree is oak. Some of its specimens can reach fifty meters in height and have a two-meter diameter. The tree has long been famous for its healing properties, among which are astringent, antiputrefactive and anti-inflammatory. The lifespan of an oak tree can reach two thousand years.
Yew is included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. This tree rivals star anise in its lifespan, reaching an age of two to three thousand years. It is difficult to find it in natural conditions, but some specimens grow on Far East and on the Sakhalin Peninsula.
Silver poplar can reach an age of 1000-1500 years, and individual specimens of large-leaved linden - up to 1200.
A tree is a plant that has a woody trunk that lasts throughout its life. Scientists suggest that they evolved from seaweed, which came out to the coastal zone.
They took root to gain a foothold on the surface. Environment was aggressive, and living organisms sought to protect themselves by forming a durable surface layer. Wood became such a layer, and it also maintained their constant shape.
Later, trees became the impetus for the development of many other forms of life. They changed the Earth's atmosphere, the composition of the soil, and influenced the climate. Modern world became what it is now, largely thanks to these plants.
Currently, their number on Earth exceeds 3 trillion specimens, they are divided into 60 thousand species. They grow on any soil, even on rocky slopes, in the desert, on permafrost, but they are not found in Antarctica.
Mangrove forests grow in the tidal zone, in salt water, and are submerged approximately 40% of the time.
In the desert of Bahrain there is a mesquite tree, around which there are no other large plants for many miles, only thanks to its strong root system it is able to live in such harsh conditions.
Every year 50 thousand tourists visit this place. Locals they call it the Tree of Life and say that this very place used to be the Garden of Eden.
In New Zealand most southern point The strongest cold Antarctic winds blow all the time at Slope Point. A small group of conifers grows in these areas, due to constant winds they are always inclined to the north. They adapted to grow not upward, but sideways, so that at least part of the branches were protected from the drying, piercing wind.
The diversity of these flora representatives is amazing: the smallest is the dwarf willow - about 6 cm, and the tallest is the sequoia. By far the most tall sequoia grows in California, its height is 115.61 meters.
The fastest growing is paulownia, it can grow 4 meters in a year! But White Cedar has grown only 10 cm in 155 years. Dione edible also grows very slowly - only 0.76 mm per year.
Lifespan
Lifespan depends on many factors, but maximum lifespan varies by species. The most short-lived ones are fruit ones, quince lives on average 50-70 years, gray alder lives on average 40-70 years, rarely lives to the age of 100 years. Most birch trees live 100-110 years, but some specimens can live up to 300 years. Long-livers are conifers, oaks, chestnuts, cypress and many more representatives.
The hardest time for trees is in subarctic belt- cold summer, harsh winter, swampiness, permafrost. They grow short and do not have longevity. In the temperate zone it is already observed more variety vegetation due to a warmer climate.
Some representatives of the temperate zone that are distinguished by longevity:
- Oak, maple, beech - the average lifespan of these plants is 300-500 years
- Spruce - 300-350 years
- Pine - up to 600 years
- Larch - 500-900 years
Some representatives of the oak genus do not shed their leaves seasonally, but change them gradually, while remaining evergreen. Some species are distinguished by longevity; some individuals are considered a tourist attraction and are protected.
In warmer climatic zones There are also long-lived plants, for example, cypress. These evergreens can live for more than a thousand years, the most famous of them is the Zoroastrian Sarv, which has lived for more than 4,000 years.
Long-lived oak tree - name and age
An oak is a mighty giant, tightly connected to the earth; next to this living creature one can feel its strength and energy. Many legends are associated with them; they are deeply revered where they grow.
Here are a few of the most famous.
The Oak of Mamre, also known as the Oak of Abraham, is considered sacred; the Bible says that it was near this oak that Abraham had a revelation of the Holy Trinity. According to legend, as long as this oak tree is alive, the end of the world will not come. Its age is estimated at 5,000 years, but in 1997 it dried up, and tourists helped it with this, taking away its pieces as talismans. Fortunately, a year later a new shoot appeared from the roots.
According to scientists, the colony of Palmer scrub oaks in the Jurupa Valley (USA, California) began its existence 13 thousand years ago. Some researchers claim that a colony of these oak trees survived the last ice age.
The Stelmuzh oak is one of the oldest European oaks; according to various sources, its age ranges from one thousand to two thousand years. In 1916, he underwent a recovery operation: they cleaned out the rot from inside, trimmed the hollow, and surrounded it with a fence.
Oak chapel in France. Two chapels were built inside the oak tree in 1669, which are still open to the public today. The age of this oak is estimated at 1200 years.
For clarity, you can see photos of long-lived trees, the names and ages of which were listed.
The oldest trees on Earth
These plants are the longest living creatures on our planet. Some of those living today rushed towards the sun back in the days when there were no Egyptian pyramids. The oldest living tree today is the bristlecone pine, whose name is Mufasail. It grows in eastern California in a national park, but its specific location is hidden from outsiders, only park employees know where it grows.
According to scientists, the approximate time when the seed of this pine began its truly long life path, is considered to be 2831 BC (in 2017 the pine tree turned 4847 years old!). There are many pine trees in the park that are over a thousand years old; it is surprising that the conditions there are not the most pleasant: very little rainfall, poor soil, dry air.
These long-lived pines have adapted to difficulties; only the needles of these amazing creatures do not change for 20-30 years. This significantly saves inventory and energy. Constant photosynthesis ensures normal existence in such a harsh climate.
When individual areas are damaged, they die, but the disease does not spread further; the untouched part continues to live its life. Pine wood is very dense, with big amount resin, because of this, pathogenic microbes, fungi and insect pests cannot get close to it.
Additionally, dry air protects pine trees from rotting. Old-timers prefer open spaces, where everyone has enough sun and moisture. This arrangement also prevents the spread forest fires. Even after death, a pine tree can survive for about a hundred years until the roots begin to rot or the soil collapses.
In the same California, in Sequoia National Park, the General Sherman sequoia grows. Her age is 2700 years, in addition to such a respectable age, she is distinguished by other parameters: height 84 meters, girth at the ground - 31 meters, and she is still growing, increasing her girth by 1.5 cm every year. Next to such a giant, you understand who really is the owner of planet Earth.
The General Sherman is open to tourists and has a sign near it stating that this redwood tree can be used to build 40 houses and that it is much longer than a passenger train.
Baobab trees grow in Africa; they do not have growth rings, so it is difficult to determine their age. Using radiocarbon dating, scientists claim that individual representatives have lived for more than 4,500 years.
The legend associated with these plants says that the baobab did not like the place that God had chosen for it, and he got angry and planted it upside down, after which the baobab began to grow and no longer asked for a new place.
Dragon trees also do not form growth rings; age is determined approximately by growth rates. Typically these plants are 20 meters tall, with a base diameter of 4 meters and can live for 5-7 thousand years.
Oldest clonal groves
A clonal colony is a group of genetically identical organisms that have evolved from a common ancestor, or we can say that it is one organism that has split into many parts during the process of growth. Clonal trees are long-lived - names and ages.
One such organism is Pando Grove, in Utah, USA. The aspen poplar in this grove grows and dies, this cycle takes about 130 years, a new shoot appears in its place and this process has not stopped for at least 80 thousand years.
At the time of the birth of Pando, states did not yet exist; people had just begun to settle across the continents. Entire civilizations were born and died, religions were born, then they faded away, great amount inventions, discoveries made by man, comprehended the world, studied and studies the universe, and Pando continuously lives and develops with all three of them.
In Sweden, the Tikko spruce grows from roots that, according to radiocarbon dating, are more than 9,500 years old; it is a clone of an old dead plant. The young growth is several hundred years old, but its roots date back to times that are even difficult to imagine.
Description
Probably every person since botany lessons in high school remembers the distinction:
- Deciduous trees or summer green (deciduous). These are the ones that have leaves; they shed them before the cold season begins. They spread thanks to seeds and grow in many countries of the world, including in the territory Russian Federation.
- Coniferous trees. These are evergreen plants that have a needle-like appearance. Thanks to these trees, the air is purified, saturated with healing essential oils. Most often at home they are planted on personal plots to decorate the vegetation with evergreen crops. There are also entire forests and pine forests where conifers grow.
What types of trees are there?
Representatives of deciduous trees:
- Oak trees;
- birch;
- linden;
- apple trees;
- poplars;
- pears;
- cherries and so on.
The leaves of deciduous trees are different shapes and sizes. For example, in birch they have jagged edges and are shaped like a rounded rhombus or triangle. Oak has oblong-shaped leaves resembling an ellipse.
Representatives coniferous trees:
- fir;
- pine;
- cedar;
- cypress;
- thuja and others.
The leaves of coniferous trees are characterized mainly by a needle-like shape.
Application
Both deciduous and coniferous wood It is used in industry (because it is easy to process and has fairly good strength characteristics), medical purposes, cosmetology, landscape design, and so on.
And deciduous fruit trees give people their fruits, from which you can cook delicious preparations, compotes, baking fillings and much more. also in winter time year, thanks to firewood from the trunks and branches of these trees, you can warm up from the cold.
About long-lived trees in Russia
Next, we will consider some types of long-lived trees that grow on the territory of the Russian Federation. There is a special state register that records information about the oldest representatives. In total, there are about 20 units in Russia as of 2018.
Each such tree is first studied (by botanists, ecologists, forest scientists), its external condition is examined, its species and age are determined (the more “rings”, the older it is).
For long-lived trees, measures are taken to ensure safety, special care and protection. The sign located near such a representative must contain information about the name, status and age.
So, let's move on to information about long-lived trees in Russia (names, age, short description) and some information about foreign representatives.
Birch
The symbol of Russia, the most famous deciduous tree that can be found in the northern and central parts countries, as well as in the Caucasus. A beautiful, slender and delicate tree. Many poems and songs have been written about him. And who in Russia and abroad does not know delicious birch sap?
In total there are about 100 species of birch trees. The name comes from the Slavic “whiten” or “shine”, as well as from “birch bark”.
The maximum height that a birch tree can reach during its life is 40 meters. Lives up to 150 years. Although in the southern part of Russia (Primorye) there are long-lived trees that are four hundred years old. These are birch trees of the “iron” or “Schmidt” variety.
Oak
Representative deciduous forests. Grows in northern and southern latitudes. It has a beautiful wide crown and a majestic trunk.
There are about 600 species of oaks. The maximum height this plant reaches is 45 meters. Age – 1500 years or more. In Russia, the most common is the petiolate type. Among the country's longest-living trees are oaks (area, age):
- on the Don - 400 years;
- in Chuvashia – 480 years;
- in Yakutia – 885 years;
- in the Kaliningrad region - 800 years;
- in Moscow (Kolomensky Park) - more than 1000 years.
linden tree
Also the most a prominent representative Among the longest-living trees in the Russian Federation is linden. There are about 40 species and 350 hybrids. The lifespan of these trees reaches an average of 400 to 1000 years.
Besides the fact that linden trees are quite beautiful deciduous trees, their inflorescences still have an incomparable aroma, and are also used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes (tea, infusions, honey). And the wood itself is used to make musical instruments, furniture, and shoe lasts.
Larch
This is a representative of long-lived conifers. The oldest larches (photo of the tree below) grow in Yakutia.
And although they are short in height (9 meters), and the diameter is only 25 centimeters, larches are 850-920 years old.
These record holders are recorded as the longest living people in Russia. And the forest area itself where such trees grow (they are located within a small area) has the status of a nature reserve. It is located on the territory of Yakutia.
Willow
The most wonderful and gentle representative of long-lived deciduous trees growing on the territory of the Russian Federation. Willow, like birch, is sung in Russian folk songs, and it is also a very symbolic tree (photo below).
One of the oldest is considered to be the one located in the Moscow Botanical Garden of the Moscow State University “Apothecary Garden”. This tree is already 300 years old.
Long-lived foreigners
Among the long-lived trees (names and ages are indicated in the article), growing in other countries and whose age today is hundreds of years, there are the following representatives:
- Pine trees discovered by scientists in Sweden. They have been growing on Mount Fulu for several thousand years. In particular, one of them reached the age of 10 thousand years.
- Intermountain bristlecone pine, called "Methuselah", which grows in California's Inyo National Forest (USA). Her age is 4850 years. The exact location is not indicated to ensure the safety of the tree (photo of the tree below).
- Cypress trees, whose age reaches 3500 years. They grow in the USA in Big Tree Park.
- A colony of poplars believed to be 80 thousand years old. Located in Utah (USA).
Among the trees of our forests, the oak lives up to 800 years. Spruce and pine live up to 600 years. The shortest-living tree is quince (about 50 years). Sequoia and baobab are real long-livers, they live about 5,000 years. In turn, cypress and yew live for 3000 years, and the beautiful larch can survive more than one generation (400 - 500 years). With careful care, an apple tree is ready to serve you with delicious fruits for 200 years. Rowan lives on average 80 years, just like a human!
How old is the oldest tree on the planet?
The oldest tree on Earth is considered to be pine, which is already over 4850 years old! This pine grows in the White Mountains in the western United States, at an altitude of 3,000 meters above sea level. Ancient pine is located in California, in National Nature Reserve, however, the exact location of Methuselah is kept a closely guarded secret to protect it from the public. None of the reserve workers will tell you where exactly it grows, since everyone is afraid of the terrible influx of tourists who want to take a photo with the tree, climb it, or tear off a small piece of bark for themselves as a souvenir. But, given the fact that there simply is no older pine tree, tourists are only happy to walk around the reserve and look for an ancient pine. 
The tree is named Methuselah after one of the biblical characters who lived 969 years. Now, this pine is considered the oldest individual (non-cloned) living organism on our planet. Before national park Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is not easy to get to. It lies away from the main tourist roads, quite high in the mountains and is closed most of the year due to snow drifts. It is in this reserve that the most ancient trees on our planet grow. 
Here, on the slope of Mount White, surrounded by his own kind, Methuselah lives. There is an amazing silence all around, the dazzling sun is shining, but in some places, even in the June heat, there are still lenses of snow. Time and adversity have distorted and bizarrely twisted the trunks of many pines, and some of them have long lost their bark and look almost dead. But somewhere there is one living branch hidden, and this is what the most ancient of the local inhabitants look like. 
These trees can withstand harsh natural conditions. In the reserve, the average rainfall is less than 30 centimeters per year, most of Precipitation falls in the form of snow, so there is very little moisture there. The soil is dominated by dolomite, a type of limestone that contains very few nutrients. In addition, there are sudden temperature changes and windy winds. strong winds. However, such harsh conditions contribute to the longevity of the trees living there. The climate in the reserve is so dry that even viruses and bacteria have difficulty surviving in it. And the wood [of long-lasting pine] is very dense and resinous, which makes it practically inaccessible to insect pests. There is a danger of lightning, but the trees are spaced well apart so the flames don't spread very far. The growing season of these trees lasts approximately 45 days. They save their limited energetic resources due to the fact that they grow very slowly. They increase in circumference by only 25 millimeters per century, and their needles (leaves) fall off after about 30 years. The tallest of these trees reaches 18 meters in height. According to experts, the oldest of these pines can live for another 5 centuries. !
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