A mighty old tree

Scientists documenting the ages of bald cypress along the Black River in North Carolina have discovered an ancient tree whose annual growth rings show it to be at least 2,624 years old. 

That means the cypress was alive centuries before the advent of Christianity, the Roman Empire and the English language. The new research finding released Thursday also means bald cypress ranks fifth among all tree species on Earth for tree longevity. 

The study says a nearby cypress in the same river swamp is at least 2,088 years old. Scientists believe other, unsampled 2,000-plus-year-old trees exist along the 66-mile-long stream. 

The study shows the Black River trees are far older than previously revealed in samplings that began in 1985. These cypresses already had been determined to be the oldest stand of trees in eastern United States, with ages of up to 1,650 years.

Professor David Stahle of the University of Arkansas, lead investigator on the studies, established the ages of the 2,000-plus-year-old trees beginning in 2017 by measuring annual tree-growth rings taken from coring the trunks and radiocarbon analysis. 

“There are surely multiple trees over 2,000-year-old trees at Black River,” Stahle said in a recent interview. “It’s my belief there are some approaching, if not exceeding, 3,000 years old.” 

The venerable trees live in Three Sisters Swamp, owned by the N.C. Nature Conservancy and part of the Black River. 

Read more here: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article230191724.html#storylink=cpy