Just as we got to treeline - roughly around 11,500 to 12,000 ft - we spotted a grove of bristlecone pine. These
trees are rare and grow at or below treeline and are thought to reach an age far greater than that of any other single living organism known, up to nearly 5,000
years.
Because of cold temperatures, dry soils, high winds and short growing seasons, the trees grow very slowly. The wood is dense and resinous and thus resistant to
invasion by insects, fungi and other potential pests. As the tree ages, much of its vascular cambium lay may die. In very old bristlecone pines,
often only a narrow strip of living tissue connects the roots to a handful of live branches.
Bristlecone Pine Closeup
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