by Margot Pierce
The world’s oldest known living tree, a 9,500-year-old Norwegian spruce named Old Tjikko, continues to grow in Fulufjället Mountain in Sweden.
Discovered in 2004 by Leif Kullman, professor at Umeå University’s department of ecology and environmental science in Sweden, and named after his dog, the precious tree is the planet’s longest-living identified plant. According to National Geographic, Kullman explained that the tree’s incredible longevity is largely due to its ability to clone itself: “The spruce’s stems or trunks have a lifespan of around 600 years, “but as soon as a stem dies, a new one emerges from the same root stock. So the tree has a very long life expectancy.”
For thousands of years, Old Tjikko has been standing proud atop the Fulufjället Mountain and will probably be standing there for a much longer time – truly amazing!
via BoredPanda
