1. Bristlecone Pine (over 5,000 years old)
Bristlecone Pines are the oldest living organisms of any known species. They can be found in Utah, California, and Nevada, and date back nearly 5,000 years.
2. Olive Tree (over 3,000 years old)
The olive branch has long been associated with peace. This tree, at Vouves in Crete, is estimated to be over 3,000 years old. The olives from the tree are held in very high regard.
3. Japanese White Pine (400-year-old Bonsai Tree)
What makes this Bonsai Tree unique is that it withstood the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. It might not be the oldest Bonsai Tree out there, but it is special. The Japanese White Pine remains on display at the National Bonsai Museum in Washington D.C.
4. Circus Trees
Circus Trees are the brainchild of Swedish farmer Axel Erlandson. Erlandson wanted to give the trees a unique look that resembled a basket. The trees still remain at the Gilroy Gardens in California as the centerpiece attraction.
5. Chestnut Tree (over 4,000 years old)
The Chestnut tree has been in existence for over 4,000 years. The legend tells the story of a queen who, with her army of a hundred knights, sought refuge inside the gigantic tree during a severe thunderstorm.
6. Boab Tree
The Boab Tree originates in Western Australia, in the Derby area. An interesting legend in Australian folklore says that the hollow trunk of this tree was once used as a prison.
7. Montezuma Cypress (between 1,200 - 3,000 years old)
The Montezuma Cypress resides in Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas but originates in Mexico. They date back 1,200 to 3,000 years. The Montezuma Cypress is sacred in Mexican culture and is said to represent a monarch's authority.
8. Major Oak Tree (over 1,000 years old)
The story of the Major Oak Tree is quite an interesting one. It is said that the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest was used as a secret hideout for Robin Hood, making this oak tree more than a thousand years old.
9. Banyan Tree
The Banyan is a fig tree that grows on a host tree, where the Banyan seed settled and grew unchallenged. Eventually, the Banyan smothers the host tree, which rots and leaves a hollow behind.
10. Giant Sequoia (between 2,300 and 2,700 years old)
The Giant Sequoia is one of the largest trees in the United States. It can grow to nearly 300 feet tall and can live for 3,000 years.
