6 Facts About Methuselah, The World's Second Oldest Tree

Methuselah is a Great Basin bristlecone pine

The world’s oldest and second oldest tree is a Great Basin bristlecone pine. Its latin name is Pinus longaeva, named for its incredibly long lifespan. Methuselah was beaten out as the oldest tree when another Great Basin bristlecone pine was discovered to be 5,068 years old. It is not yet named.

The 3 oldest non-clonal trees are Great Basin bristlecone pines

An unnamed Pinus Longaeva holds the distinction as the world’s oldest non-clonal tree at 5,068 years old. The second oldest is Methuselah, at 4,850 years old. The third oldest tree in the world was Prometheus, which was accidentally destroyed at 4,844 years old.

Methuselah us named after a Biblical figure.

Methuselah gets its name from the Biblical figure Methuselah, who is said to have died at 969 years old. Methuselah is a figure in the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths.

Methuselah’s location is a secret

Methuselah resides in the Inyo National Forest’s “Forest of Ancients” alongside other very old trees. The exact location of Methuselah is kept a secret to protect the tree from vandalism and other man-made problems. Prometheus, a fellow Great Basin bristlecone pine, was accidentally destroyed in 1964.

Methuselah is older than the Egyptian pyramids

Methuselah is thought to have germinated in 2832 BCE, which makes it older than the Egyptian pyramids. The first pyramids were built sometime around 2630 BCE at Saqqara for King Djoser.

How tall is Methuselah?

Methuselah is at best a medium-sized tree. Great Basin bristlecone pines grow to a height of at most 50 feet.