Ascending
order
Aging
bones of an ancient Bristlecone pine tree. This is a harsh climate
with poor soil and a very short growing season. The pines only
grow a small amount each year. A three foot (one meter) tree
could well be seventy or eighty years old. Bristlecone pines
are the longest living species on Earth. Some of the groves
have living trees that are well over 2000 years old. The oldest
known living Bristlecone tree is over 4000 years old.
White
Mountains, California