Pinus longaeva

Also known as the western bristlecone pine, this incredibly long-lived species of pine is found in the high mountains of California, Nevada, and Utah. One of these astonishing trees is known to be over 5,000 years old, making it the oldest known living non-clonal organism on Earth! Slowly reaching 20-40' in height, its sienna colored bark is thin and scaly. The needles are bunched in five and are quite stout, deep-green to blue-green, and feature a bright-white band on the inside. The leaves are incredibly persistent, able to remain green up to 45 years .These ancient trees tend to become twisted, bent and stunted in appearance, particularly those found at high altitudes. This species is a truly remarkable tree. S/M-D