Bristlecone Pine, Pinus longaeva, #17488

Intense sun, extremely arid conditions, high winds and winter exposure wear away at the exposed bark of a bristlecone pine, leaving striations along its exterior.  A small amount of living bark is all that is necessary to sustain a mature bristlecone pine tree into extreme old age.  Patriarch Grove, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. White Mountains, Inyo National Forest, California, USA, Pinus longaeva, natural history stock photograph, photo id 17488
Intense sun, extremely arid conditions, high winds and winter exposure wear away at the exposed bark of a bristlecone pine, leaving striations along its exterior. A small amount of living bark is all that is necessary to sustain a mature bristlecone pine tree into extreme old age. Patriarch Grove, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. White Mountains, Inyo National Forest, California, USA

Species: Bristlecone Pine, Pinus longaeva
Location: White Mountains, Inyo National Forest, California
Image ID: 17488
Format: Digital 2:3
Notable: The ancient bristlecone pine tree is considered to be the worlds oldest species of tree (and indeed the world's oldest sexually reproducing, nonclonal lifeform). A number of individual bristlecone pine trees are known to exceed 4000 years of age; the "Methuselah tree" in the Schulman grove was estimated to be 4838 years old in 2006. These extraordinarily hardy, gnarled and lonely trees are best seen in the White Mountains of California, where two exemplary groves (Schulman and Patriarch) can be accessed by car.
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