9,500-Year-Old Tree Found In Sweden Is The World's Oldest Tree

The fir was discovered on a mountain in national park in central Sweden. Although the trunk is much younger, root system is at least 9,500 years. The tree took root at the end of the last ice age, but could be older. The tree sprung up in 7550 B.C., making it older than recorded history.

Cold and old: The tree's age was established by a laboratory in Florida which analysed parts of the root system. Spruced up: The trunk and firs are significantly younger than 9,500 years, but the root system has been growing underground since the last ice age. 'During the ice age sea level was 120 meters lower than today and much of what is now the North Sea in the waters between England and Norway was at that time forest,' Professor Leif Kullman, professor of Physical Geography at Umeå University, said. 'I can imagine that it may be probable that the first firs came from these areas.' Professor Kullman has named the tree Old Tjikko, after his Siberian Husky. He says wind and low temperature have seen the tree end up 'like a bonsai tree' with a lot of firs and a small trunk. 'Big trees cannot get as old as this,' he told Aftonbladet.