Life expectancy of trees of different species. How many years do oak and birch trees live?

For many of us, it will not be a secret if we say that most of the trees on our earth are long-livers and that a century for them is only the beginning of life. But how many years the oak has been growing and living, we will now talk.

Oddly enough it sounds, but it is the trees that are the witnesses of our history and evolution, therefore, if they could speak, they would make history. Oak, as a type of deciduous tree, is perhaps one of the most common in our region. I know how they look, both adults and children. How many years oak trees have existed on our planet, it is impossible to say for sure, but these trees are already several thousand years old.

Having impressive dimensions, and this is sometimes more than fifty meters in height and two in diameter, they have become full participants in our fairy tales and epics. This type of tree is very useful, it cleans the air well, evaporates a lot of water, has a pleasant aroma, an unusual leaf and an acorn fruit. How much medicinal properties manifests this tree!

As for life expectancy, it is one of the highest in the world. How long does this majestic tree live? Some individuals even live up to 2 thousand years. It’s hard to imagine, but it’s true. Perhaps, if it were not for the vigorous activity of man, then their age would have been even higher. On average, the average inhabitant of the city lives up to 300-400 years. Up to 150 it still grows in height, but in width its size increases throughout its life. It is by the diameter of the trunk that you can determine how old the tree is. Although this does not apply to all varieties, for example, the petiolate species lives on average only up to the age of one hundred years.

The oldest representative living in Europe is the Stelmuzh oak, shown in the photo, which grows in the village of Stelmuže in Lithuania. Today the age of this long-liver is more than 1500 years, although its height is only 23 meters. At the level of a person's chest, the diameter of his trunk reaches 4 meters. Today the "old man" lives, he is as green as he was in his youth, although in 1955 Lithuanian scientists performed an operation on him to remove rot inside the trunk. Today, experts strictly monitor the condition of the old-timer in order to further extend his age.

Root system

Of course, the first thing that comes to mind when you mention oak is its powerful root system. Everyone, probably, saw when the roots of an oak, especially a large representative, creep out from under the ground and stretch for several meters just on the surface of the earth. Yes, they seem to reach the very center of the earth.

The root system of oak is very branched, it starts from a strong stem and goes along some rows to the sides. The roots of an oak tree themselves can penetrate up to 20 meters into the ground, which is either half or all of its length above the surface of the earth. Of course, this is due to its nature, because in order to reach such power and height, a tree needs a lot of nutrients and a lot of moisture.

Thanks to this root system, ordinary oak can grow in poor soils and be very resistant to strong winds. No wonder it is the roots of the oak that keep many buildings on the slopes and cliffs. In addition, other plants and trees do not usually grow near and directly below them.

oak roots are closer to the surface of the earth. From how many roots came out of the ground, you can understand what kind of generation this is a representative of the family and how old he is. By the roots, you can determine how many years a tree has lived, as, for example, in this photo.

Density

In our Slavic folklore, we now and then come across the comparison "strong as an oak". Yes, this tree is considered the record holder for wood durability and has a high density. What is noteworthy is that earlier all ships, and now the decks are made exclusively of this tree, since it does not rot even in water, and its density can withstand a lot of weight. Piles of this wood can still be seen in many countries around the world.

The density, strength and hardness of wood also depends on the area where the representative grew. So, for example, the most durable or stony species grow on dry sandy soils in oak or pine forests. Such representatives always have a black bark. The density of such trees is most valuable. On higher elevations, as well as near water bodies, an iron or water oak grows, which has a gray bark and resilient very heavy wood. When dry, it cracks violently. The last species, the most fragile, but quite dense, is a yellow oak.

When does it dissolve?

The oak blooms late in the spring. Of all our trees, its leaves are the last to bloom. Although his natural slowness is very useful thing, because in this way he completely protects his young shoots from possible cold and death. By the way, young trees are very sensitive to cold.

Leaves densely cover the crown of the oak. Interestingly, some species of this tree belong to evergreens: the leaves on them remain on the branches for several years. On other oak trees, the leaves fall off in the fall. On some trees, the leaves dry up right on the branches, and gradually collapse over the winter. The leaves appear solid on evergreens, while oak leaves generally look like lobes. The leaves of this plant are dense.

The tree blooms when it has small leaves, so it looks very curly at this time. It blooms with earrings that look like hazel earrings. But only males have this kind of flowers, females, which are very rare, bloom in small inflorescences that resemble small grains. Acorns then appear from them.

Oak - very interesting tree, it is special, majestic and very beautiful. It is not without reason that all courageous heroes are compared with them in terms of strength of mind and physical strength. Find out more about it and how many years it lives, and what its density is from our video.

Video

Among the trees of our forests, the oak lives up to 800 years. Spruce and pine can live up to 600 years. The shortest-living tree is quince (about 50 years old).

Sequoia and baobab are real long-livers, they live for about 5000 years. In turn, cypress and yew have lived for 3,000 years, and the beautiful larch can survive for more than one generation (400 - 500 years). Apple tree at gentle care ready to serve you with delicious fruits for 200 years. Rowan lives on average 80 years, just like a person!

How old is the oldest tree on the planet?

The most old tree on earth a pine tree whose age is already exceeds 4850 years! This pine tree grows in the White Mountains in the western United States, 3,000 meters above sea level. An ancient pine tree is found in California, in National Reserve however, Methuselah's exact whereabouts are kept a closely guarded secret to protect him from the public. None of the reserve workers will tell you exactly where it grows, because everyone is afraid of a terrible influx of tourists who want to take a picture with a tree, climb on it or tear off a small piece of bark for themselves. But, given the fact that there is simply no older pine tree, tourists are only happy to walk around the reserve and look for an ancient pine tree.

Pine Methuselah was discovered in 1953 by the botanist Edmund Schulman. In 1958, an article about this was published in National Geographic magazine.

The tree is named Methuselah after one of the biblical characters who lived for 969 years. Now, after the death of Prometheus, this pine tree is considered the oldest individual (uncloned) living organism on our planet. Today you can visit the grove where Methuselah is hiding, but you have to guess which tree it is.

To Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest National Park ( A forest of ancient, durable pines) it is not easy to get there. It lies away from the tourist roads, high enough in the mountains and is closed for most of the year due to snow drifts. It is in this reserve that the most ancient trees of our planet grow. Their age is measured in thousands of years, and the oldest named Methuselah is now over 4850 years old. To meet with them, to hear their voice, to touch almost eternity - how to refuse such a chance, if it appeared?

The oldest inhabitants of the planet - bristlecone pines, or "durable" - live in the White Mountains (White Mountains) in eastern California. From Los Angeles, it's three and a half to four hours by car on a good highway. But then the ascent begins to the mountains to a height of more than 3 thousand meters, and on the last section the road turns into a real mountain serpentine, so from October to May the park is inaccessible.

Here, on the slope of Mount White, surrounded by his own kind, Methuselah lives. An amazing silence reigns around, a dazzling sun is shining, but in some places, even in the June heat, there are still lenses of snow. Time and adversity have twisted and fancifully 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, and this is how the most ancient of the locals look like.

These trees endure harsh natural conditions. In the reserve, the average rainfall is less than 30 centimeters per year, most of the 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 changes in temperature and strong winds... However, such harsh conditions promote longevity trees living there. The climate in the reserve is so dry that even viruses and bacteria can hardly survive in it. And [durable pine] wood is very dense and resinous, which makes it virtually inaccessible to pests. There is a danger of being struck by lightning, but the trees are at a distance from each other so that the flames do not spread far. The growing season for these trees lasts approximately 45 days. They save their limited energetic resources due to the fact that they grow very slowly. In circumference, they increase by only 25 millimeters in one 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 survive for another 5 centuries. !

The conclusion suggests itself that the origins of the endurance of long-lived pines lie precisely in the Spartan habitat, the need to adapt to the most severe conditions.

There are not very many visitors to the reserve, but still, due to the fault of people, the Prometheus pine has already died, which was about 300 years older than Methuselah and grew in the neighboring state of Nevada. True, it was not vandals or tourists who were to blame, but rather the craving for knowledge of some and the slowness of others. While scientists pushed for research and the creation of a reserve, a student named Donald Curry, who was collecting materials in the mountains of Nevada for his thesis on glaciers, quickly got permission from the US Forest Service and cut down one of the trees. Counting the rings showed that he was more than 4.8 thousand years old. ... As it turned out later, it was Prometheus, and his exact age was 4862 years.

The story with Prometheus still shudders scientists. But the student Curry, later a professor at the University of Utah, did not experience any horror and remorse. He justified himself by taking this step in the name of science. According to him, there were many old trees in those parts, and the likelihood that he would cut the oldest of them was small. In addition, he did not have data that these trees had been studied earlier and even had names. Prometheus, like Methuselah, has long been included in all directories of the planet's centenarians.

Methuselah listed in Guinness book of records as the oldest living tree.

The lifespan of trees primarily depends on the species and environmental conditions. Most of them live for about a century, but there are also champions who are a thousand years old or more. Of course it comes about strong, healthy trees that are in favorable conditions and are not cut down by man.

How do you know the age of a tree?

Before you find out how many trees live, it is useful to understand how their age is calculated. The fact is that they grow unevenly in width. Trees receive energy for development from the sun through photosynthesis. Of course, during periods of solar activity, growth is more active, and during periods of decreased sun intensity, growth slows down.

The expansion of the tree trunk is due to the cambium, a special tissue that creates living cells inward (towards the center of the trunk) and outward from itself (towards the bark). The cells that are inside the cambium become part of the wood - support system, which carries nutrients from the roots to the leaves. Cells located outside the cambium (under the bark) deliver organic matter from leaves to roots, this tissue is called bast.

In spring, cambium creates wide cells with narrow walls. They are needed for more efficient and faster delivery of nutrients and micronutrients. In autumn, cambium produces narrow cells with thick walls, which give the tree trunk extra strength. Thus, two types of fabrics are produced per year: one layer (spring) is lighter, the other layer (autumn) is much darker.

It is better to determine the number of stripes using a microscope and special dyes, since they are rather narrow. By the number of dark and light rings, one can estimate not only the age of the tree, but also the climatic conditions in which it grew. Broader dark areas indicate unfavorable cold autumn and the long winter.

To find out the age of a tree, you need to cut it down. In some cases, this is not possible or desirable.

In such a situation, the method of calculating the average is used. At the level of one and a half meters, the circumference of the trunk (in centimeters) is calculated and divided by the constant π (~ 3.14), in this way the diameter of the tree is found.

This value is divided by the average annual growth for the studied plant species in this region... The result is a rough indication of the tree's lifespan. Of course, this method gives only approximate figures. Moreover, the difference between them and the actual number of years can reach 20-30% or more.

Therefore, the most common way is to cut down the tree and count the number of rings.

What affects the lifespan?

Before figuring out how old trees live, consider what affects their age. Life expectancy is highly dependent on various natural conditions... The most influential factors include:

1. Genetic individual capabilities of the plant. At first glance, they are all the same, but in fact, trees vary in the shape and size of leaves, cambium activity, and other characteristics. All this has a strong influence on the adaptive capabilities of the plant to unfavorable conditions.
2. Characteristics of the soil. Its composition, saturation with water, saturation with trace elements and nutrients. On scarce agricultural land, trees can grow poorly, while across the road, on rich, not yet cultivated soil, plants can live for centuries.
3. Humidity and temperature have little effect, since the climate in each zone is usually stable over a long period of time. The exception is global changes weather ( ice ages). Of course, for short-lived plants, even a slight drought can be fatal.
4. The characteristics of the terrain (the presence of a slope, mountain or large buildings) greatly change the level of illumination, strength, wind direction and other important parameters. And they, in turn, significantly reduce or increase the life of the tree.
5. Characteristics of the forest. At high density tall trees that grow side by side, the chances for a particular plant to reach a significant size are rather small. This is influenced by species diversity for example, it is very difficult for a deciduous tree to grow in a dark coniferous forest.
6. Diseases and pests. Pests include insects that chew on bark and leaves, and animals and arthropods that chew on roots. Diseases in trees are bacterial and fungal.

These are the most important natural conditions... But there are also artificial ones. A tree lives less in a highly polluted urban environment. Conversely, life expectancy increases significantly in large parks where there is no dirt, but there is a care of plants and their protection from pests and diseases.

Deciduous trees

Interestingly, the life expectancy of wild trees is much higher than that of fruit cultivated plants. This is due to the fact that a person, by the method of selection, created crops that gave maximum yields in the shortest possible time. Such high productivity is directly related to the fact that the tree has little strength and resources for itself, it gives everything to fruits. As a result, lives are much shorter.

The most common in our latitude fruit trees- apple and pear trees. They live up to half a century maximum, but wild species can grow for 100-150 years. Other crops - plum, sea buckthorn - live up to 20-30 years. This is due to the fact that these crops are traditionally grown in southern latitudes... For example, a peach in our strip does not live longer than 15 years at all.

All wild deciduous trees grow much longer. Aspen and alder live up to 150 years, walnut trees live on average 2 centuries. Elm, ash and birch grow up to 3 centuries, and beech lives up to 500 years. But the record holder is the oak - it lives on average for one and a half millennia. Of course, we are talking about the possible life potential of these tree species, since in real modern conditions no one will let them live for more than 100-200 years.

Coniferous trees

Conifers live much longer than deciduous trees. This is due to a lower metabolism, severe adaptability in harsh climatic conditions... The shape of the crown of a coniferous tree allows you to extract maximum amount energy that the sun can give.

The highly branched root system, as well as the fact that even in winter period needles continue to produce nutrients, albeit in minimal quantities. At the same time, the roots, even from the frozen ground, are able to get minerals and water. In this case, the needles are covered with wax, which prevents water from evaporating.

Fir - the shortest-living plant among conifers, can exist for up to 2 centuries. Spruce is common in our country and live up to 600 years. European larch lives up to 500 years, and its Siberian counterpart - up to 900 years ( illustrative example influence of low metabolism). Cedar pine can live up to 1000 years, but the main long-lived tree is

Linden is one of the most durable and easy-to-maintain trees that can be used to decorate own garden or yard country house... It is easy to take care of it, you can plant it on any site, while the tree will bloom profusely and up to late autumn delight you with its beautiful and green leaves. This material will tell you how to work with such a variety so that it grows quickly on your site and does not die prematurely from pests or diseases.

Description of the tree

Linden is a strong perennial tree that grows in almost all regions of our country. It can appear as a large shrub (wild varieties), and big tree over 40 meters in height. It has a large deciduous crown of a round, oval or pyramidal type (other forms are also possible in rare varieties). The trunk of a linden is not necessarily one, it can branch into two, three or more processes.

Linden grows well both in shady areas of the garden and in sunny places. The tree is picky about the choice of soil, but grows best on sandstone flavored with humus. Various varieties of lindens tolerate frost well, in general they are very resistant to pests and even with poor care they regularly bloom and give seeds.

The tree has a good root system thanks to which it can long time do without watering and feeding. Linden reaches its full strength in 20-30 years. At the same time, she begins to give the richest flowering, used in medicinal purposes as well as the production of honey.

What Aubrieta flowers look like and how they need to be grown can be seen in this article:

Care

Proper care of a linden tree involves the following:

• crown cut... It is carried out every six months - in the spring before bud break and in the fall. It should be carried out after the first year of the tree's life, removing branches by no more than a third.

• feeding... Held twice a year. In the spring, it provides for the introduction of a solution into the soil in proportions of 1 kg of manure, 25 grams of ammonium nitrate and 20 grams of urea per 10 liters of water. The second time tree feeding is carried out in the fall, 20 grams of nitroammofoska is used for it per 10 liters of water. The tree does not need any other additional feeding.

• watering. For young trees, soil moistening at the rate of 20 liters of water per 1 square meter of crown projection is given once a week according to the weather, after heavy rainfall it's not worth it. This activity is optional for mature trees. Linden tolerates dry periods well; it is necessary to water it only when the soil is severely dry.

• Loosening of the periosteal circle. It is enough to carry out 2-3 times a season. At the same time, weeds are removed.

In addition to the basic care procedures described above, it is recommended that the tree be examined once a week or two for the presence of pests or diseases. This will allow you to identify the problem in time and fix it for early stage while the tree hasn't been badly damaged yet.

Video

In more detail, the process of care and cultivation of linden is shown in the video below.

Preparing for winter

Wintering linden, like other garden trees, also requires special preparation from the gardener. Its correct implementation provides for the following actions:

1. Before the cold weather, the gardener needs to remove the fallen leaves from the tree and burn them, as well as inspect the linden branches for the appearance of frost cracks. The detected formations are recommended to be treated with any antiseptic.
2. The near-bore circle is covered with insulation during the same period. It is best to use peat or manure as it. With them, the roots of the tree become thicker.
3. In the early years, it is advisable to wrap the crown of the tree with dense material.... This will protect the branches from frost and snowstorms. When the tree gets older, this measure can be abandoned.
4. In addition, it is closer to winter that you need to feed the trees so that they can stock up on the necessary substances for the winter.

With age, the frost resistance of linden increases and by the winter it becomes easier to cook it. However, the gardener, when working with this tree, always needs to show increased attention in order to avoid damage to the branches due to frost or improper processing of the plant in the autumn. So, through negligence, you can lose most of the crown.
It is possible to carry out all the necessary measures to prepare this variety for winter in 1-2 days. The events are recommended to be held in late October - early November, before the first frost.

Disease and pest control

Linden is a tree prone to various diseases, including:

• white rot or tinder fungus, manifested in the curvature of the trunk, poor overgrowth of knots and twisting of the bark;
• fungal diseases of various parts of the tree, including seeds, leaves, seedlings;
• infectious drying out of the tree.

Aktelit helps to cope with such diseases of the tree. Fitosporin is also used as a prophylaxis for trees. The solution, however, should not be overused. One treatment per season is enough to fully protect the tree from such infections.

Remember that linden often becomes infected with infections, including fungal infections, from neighboring trees. Even if they do not yet show signs of infection, it is still necessary to treat the plants for preventive purposes.
Often tree diseases are provoked by rodents and insects that weaken the tree. Among the most dangerous pests for linden, you can name:

• a soldier's bug damaging fruits;

Bug soldier

• a bear eating the buds, as well as the leaves of the tree.

Teddy bear

Also, a yellow-throated mouse, a shrew and a vole can erode the tree. The fight against linden pests is reduced to loosening the peri-stem circle, treating it with soapy water, as well as spraying the trunk with insecticides, selected depending on the type of pests.
A special role in the fight against insects that destroy linden leaves and flowers is the annual pruning of the tree. It allows you to cut off the buds in which insects hibernate. To avoid re-infection of the tree, all cut branches must be burned without fail.

Conclusion

Overall linden care different varieties does not present any particular difficulty for either an experienced or a novice gardener. To ensure it, it is enough only to timely water, prune and loosen the soil, properly prepare the plant for winter and prevent the spread of pests and diseases of this tree variety. And then the linden tree will decorate your garden plot... Read also our article “for material for greenhouses and greenhouses »

A tree is a plant that has a tree-covered trunk that persists throughout its life. Scientists suggest that they evolved from algae that came out to the coastal zone.

They put down roots to gain a foothold on the surface. Environment was aggressive, and living organisms tried to defend themselves, forming a solid surface layer. Wood became such a layer, moreover, it maintained their constant shape.

In the future, trees became the impetus for the development of many other life forms. They changed the Earth's atmosphere, the composition of the soil, and influenced the climate. Modern world became what he is now, largely thanks to these plants.

Currently, their number on Earth exceeds 3 trillion copies, they are subdivided into 60 thousand species. They grow on any soil, even on rocky slopes, in the desert, on permafrost, only they are not in Antarctica.

Mangroves grow in the area sea ​​tide, in salt water, and about 40% of the time they are flooded.

In the desert of Bahrain, a mesquite tree grows, around which there are no longer large plants for many miles, only thanks to a strong root system it is able to live in such harsh conditions.

Every year 50 thousand tourists visit this place. Locals call it the Tree of Life and say that this particular place used to be the Garden of Eden.

In New Zealand, at the southernmost point at Slope Point, the strongest cold Antarctic winds blow all the time. A small group of conifers grows in these areas, due to constant winds they are always inclined towards the north. They have adapted to grow not upward, but sideways, so that at least part of the branches is protected from the drying, piercing wind.

The variety of these flora representatives is amazing: the dwarf willow is considered the smallest - about 6 cm, and the sequoia is the tallest. Today the most high sequoia grows in the state of California, its height is 115.61 meters.

The fastest growing is Paulownia, it can grow by 4 meters in a year! But the White Cedar for 155 years has grown by only 10 cm. Edible Dion also grows very slowly - only 0.76 mm per year.

Life span

The lifespan depends on many factors, but the maximum lifespan depends on the species. The most short-lived are fruit, quince lives on average 50-70 years, alder gray lives on average 40-70 years old, rarely reaches the age of 100 years. Most birches live 100-110 years, but some specimens can live up to 300 years. Long-livers are conifers, oaks, chestnuts, cypress and many more representatives.

Trees have the hardest time in the subarctic zone - cold summers, harsh winter, boggy, permafrost... They grow up short and do not differ in longevity. In the temperate zone, there is already a greater variety of vegetation due to the warmer climate.

Some representatives temperate zone that are distinguished by longevity:

• Oak, maple, beech - average duration the life of these plants is 300-500 years
• Spruce - 300-350 years old
• Pine - up to 600 years
• Larch - 500-900 years old

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 under protection.

In warmer climatic zones there are also long-lived plants, for example, cypress. These evergreens can live for over a thousand years, the most famous of which is the Zoroastrian sarv, which has lived for over 4000 years.

Long-lived oak tree - name and age

An oak is a mighty giant, firmly connected to the earth; next to this living creature, you can feel its strength, energy. Many legends are associated with them, they are deeply revered where they grow.

Here are some of the most famous ones.

The Mamre oak, also known as the Oak of Abraham, is considered sacred, the Bible says that it was near this oak that Abraham had a revelation about the Holy Trinity. According to legend, as long as this oak is alive, the end of the world will not come. Its age is estimated at 5000 years, but in 1997 it still dried up, and tourists helped it with this, taking away its parts as talismans. Fortunately, a year later, a new shoot appeared from the roots.

The Palmer bush oak colony in the Jurupa Valley (USA, California), according to scientists, began its existence 13 thousand years ago. Some researchers claim that the colony of these oak trees survived the last ice age.

The Stelmuzh oak is one of the oldest European oaks, according to various sources, it is from one thousand to two thousand years old. In 1916, he underwent a recovery operation: they cleaned out the rot from the inside, cut out a hollow, and fenced it off.

Chapel oak in France. Inside the oak in 1669, two chapels were made, which are still accessible to the public today. The age of this oak is estimated at 1200 years.
For clarity, you can see a photo 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 the living people rushed to the sun even in the days when there was no Egyptian pyramids... The oldest living tree today is the bristlecone pine, whose name is Mufasail. It grows in the eastern part of California in a national park, but the specific location is hidden from strangers, only the park staff know where it grows.

According to scientists, the approximate time when the seed of this pine began its truly long life path, it is considered 2831 BC, (in 2017 the pine tree turned 4847 years old!). There are many pine trees in the park, which are 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, the needles of these amazing creatures alone do not change for 20-30 years. This significantly saves supplies and energy. Constant photosynthesis ensures a normal existence in such a harsh climate.

If individual areas are damaged, they die off, but the disease does not spread further, the untouched part continues to live its own 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 the pine trees from rotting. Old-timers prefer open spaces where everyone has enough sun and moisture. This arrangement also prevents the spread of forest fires. Even after death, the pine tree can stand for about a hundred years until the roots begin to rot or the soil collapses.

In the same California in National park Sequoia growing sequoia General Sherman. Its age is 2,700 years, in addition to such a venerable age, it differs in other parameters: height 84 meters, girth at the ground - 31 meters, and it is still growing, increasing the girth annually by 1.5 cm. Next to such a giant you understand who is actually the master of the planet Earth.

General Sherman is open to tourists, near him is a sign with an inscription stating that 40 houses can be built from this sequoia, and that it is much longer than a passenger train.

Baobabs grow in Africa, they do not have tree rings, so it is difficult to determine the age. Using the method of radiocarbon analysis, scientists claim that some individuals have lived for more than 4,500 years.

The legend associated with these plants says that the baobab did not like the place that the god chose for him, and he got angry and planted it upside down, after which the baobab began to grow and did not ask for a new place again.

Dragon trees also do not form annual rings; age is determined roughly by growth rates. Usually these plants are 20 meters in height, at the base with a 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 evolved from one common ancestor, or we can say that this is one organism, which in the process of growth was divided into many parts. Clonal trees are centenarians - names and ages.

One such organism is Pando Grove, in Utah, USA. The aspen-shaped poplar grows and dies in this grove, 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 on the continents. Whole civilizations were born and died, religions arose, then they died out, a huge number of inventions, discoveries were made by man, comprehended the world, studied and studies the universe, and Pando all this three continuously lives and develops.

In Sweden, Tikko spruce grows from roots that, according to radiocarbon analysis, are more than 9500 years old, it is a clone of an old dead plant. Young overgrown several hundred years, but its roots found those times that are even difficult to imagine.

Description

Probably every person from botany lessons in high school remembers that they distinguish:

• Deciduous trees or summer green (deciduous). These are the ones that have leaves, they shed them before the start of the cold season. They are spread thanks to seeds and grow in many countries of the world, including on the territory Russian Federation.

• Coniferous trees. These are evergreens that have needle-like landscaping. Thanks to these trees, the air is purified, saturated with healing essential oils... Most often, at home, they are planted on household plots to decorate the vegetation with evergreen crops. There are also whole forests and forests where conifers grow.

What kind of trees are there?

Deciduous representatives:

• Oak trees;
• birch;
• linden;
• apple trees;

• poplar;
• pears;
• cherries and so on.

Leaves of deciduous trees are different shapes and sizes. For example, in birch, they are jagged at the edges, and in shape they resemble a rounded rhombus or triangle. The oak has oblong leaves that resemble an ellipse.

Representatives conifers:

• fir;
• Pine;
• cedar;

• cypress;
• thuja and others.

The leaves of coniferous trees are mainly characterized by a needle-like shape.

Application

Both deciduous and softwood it is used in industry (since it is easy to process, it has rather good strength characteristics), medical purposes, cosmetology, landscape design and so on.

And deciduous fruit trees endow a person with their fruits, from which you can cook delicious blanks, compotes, baking fillings and much more. also in winter time years, thanks to the firewood from the trunks and branches of these trees, you can keep warm from the cold.

About the long-lived trees of 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, which records information about the oldest representatives. In total, there are about 20 of them in Russia for 2018.

Each such tree is preliminarily studied (by botanists, ecologists, forestry scientists), its external state 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 plate located next to 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 of the country, as well as in the Caucasus. A beautiful, slender and delicate tree. Many poems and songs have been written about him. And who knows delicious birch sap in Russia and abroad?

There are about 100 species of birch in total. The name comes from the Slavic "to turn white" or "to shine", as well as from "birch bark".

The maximum growth that a birch 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, which are four hundred years old. These are birch varieties "iron" or "Schmidt".

Oak

Representative of deciduous forests. Grows in northern and southern latitudes. It has a beautiful wide crown and a majestic trunk.

There are about 600 species of oak trees. Maximum height, which this plant reaches, is 45 meters. Age - 1500 years and more. In Russia, the most common is the petiolate species. Among the long-lived trees of the country, there 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 bright representative linden is among the long-lived trees of the Russian Federation. There are about 40 species and 350 hybrids. The life span of these trees reaches an average of 400 to 1000 years.

In addition to the fact that lindens 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 from the wood itself they make musical instruments, furniture, shoe pads.

Larch

This is a representative of coniferous centenarians. The oldest larch trees (photo of the tree below) grow in Yakutia.

And although in height they are stunted rocks (9 meters), and the diameter is only 25 centimeters, larch trees are 850-920 years old.

These record holders are recorded as the largest centenarians in Russia. And the forest area itself, where such trees grow (they are located within a small territory), has the status of a reserve. It is located on the territory of Yakutia.

Willow

The most wonderful and delicate 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 the one that is located in the Moscow Botanical Garden of Moscow State University "Apothecary Garden". This tree is already 300 years old.

Long-livers foreigners

Among the long-lived trees (names and ages are indicated in the article) growing on the territory of other countries and whose age today is more than one hundred years, there are the following representatives:

1. Pine trees discovered by scientists in Sweden. They have been growing on Mount Fulu for several thousand years. Including, one of them has reached the age of 10 thousand years.
2. Intermountain bristlecone pine, called "Methuselah", which grows in California national forest Inio (USA). Her age is 4850 years. The exact location is not specified in order to ensure the safety of the tree (photo of the tree below).
3. Cypress trees that are 3500 years old. They grow on the territory of the USA in Big Tree Park.
4. Poplar colony, supposedly 80 thousand years old. Located in Utah (USA).