2,624-yr-old tree discovered growing in swamp

[Still Waters 37,908]

Along the Black River in North Carolina, bald cypress trees have been quietly growing for millennia. Quite literally so: Scientists recently found trees over 2,000 years old - including one that is at least 2,624 years old.

That makes it the fifth-oldest known non-clonal tree in the world. (Utah's Pando, an ancient quaking aspen forest, reproduces asexually, by cloning itself from an 80,000-year-old root system.)

Another nearby tree was found to be 2,088 years old - and geoscientists believe that more bald cypresses (Taxodium distichum) in the Three Sisters Swamp could be the same age or even older.

https://www.sciencealert.com/a-2-624-year-old-tree-has-just-been-found-growing-in-a-swamp-in-america

https://www.livescience.com/65447-ancient-tree-discovered-in-carolina-swamp.html

[Iilaa'mpuul'xem 5,491]

Pffft.... science schmience, whenever I am out under the canopy and I want to know how old a tree is, I just give it a hug and ask it.

Made the mistake in asking an elderly cacti once in the desert how old she was.... BOY... was she a grumpy one, I was pulling out needles for days. Jeez, just because you are thirsty, don't take it out on me.. 

[AllPossible 337]

NC also is 1 of the only places on earth the Venus Fly trap is native too.

[Matt221 4,045]

its only made that age cause it don't burn very well .....although it does have an aromatic flame apparently

[Piney 40,275]

23 hours ago, AllPossible said:

NC also is 1 of the only places on earth the Venus Fly trap is native too.

But there is different varieties of fly catchers in every Piney Woods. We have sundews.

20 hours ago, Matt221 said:

its only made that age cause it don't burn very well .....although it does have an aromatic flame apparently

It actually burns really well and dry swamp fires are the most dangerous to fight because the fire goes subsurface, gets into the root and moss system and either pops up behind you or causes the swamp "floor" to collapse. 

All junipers do have a nice smell when they burn though. 

[Myles 12,311]

Very cool.   Amazing that a tree has lived for so long.