Great Basin bristlecone pine
Quick Summary
The Great Basin bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva) is a species of small pine tree native to the southwestern United States, typically found at elevations above 5,500 feet. These trees are renowned for their extreme longevity, with some individuals living for thousands of years, making them some of the oldest known non-clonal organisms on Earth. For example, one bristlecone pine in California is over 5,060 years old.12
Despite their hardiness, bristlecone pines are vulnerable to environmental changes, such as drought and bark beetle infestations, which can lead to die-offs. Physically, they are small to medium-sized trees, usually between 15 to 50 feet tall, with distinctive orange-yellow to light brown bark and needles in groups of five.1
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