World’s Oldest Individual Clonal Tree Discovered in Sweden
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It is believed that the World’s Oldest Individual Clonal Tree is one of the longest-living organisms on earth, and this disheveled spruce is no exception. The robust, ancient, 16-foot-tall Norwegian Clonal Tree grows high atop the Fulufjället Mountain in Sweden. And goes by the name of Old Tjikko, well named after the discovery geologist’s dog.
Whereas this little shrub may not look like much, carbon dating of its root system has discovered that it is Old Tjikko. It is an astonishing 9,550 years old. Therefore, this means that its wizened bark and time-worn branches have seen thousands of years of human history come and go.
Since the tree was discovered in 2004. This specific spruce comes from a species that conventionally decorated European homes during Christmas time. And is the planet’s longest-living identified plant? The unbelievable longevity of the plant stems, in fact, from its complicated root system and capability to clone itself.
Although the trunk may only live around six hundred years,. As soon as that portion dies off, a new one emerges from the very same rootstock, letting it frequently regenerate. Moreover, for thousands of years, the frigid Tundra climate has kept Old Tjikko a petite shrub. Although, as the weather has warmed over the past 100 years, the shrub has grown into a full-fledged tree that now stands big-headed, having outlived so much else on this earth.