The term bristlecone pine covers three species of pine tree (family Pinaceae, genus Pinus, subsection Balfourianae). ... One of the three species, Pinus longaeva, is among the longest-lived life forms on Earth. The oldest of this species is more than 4,800 years old, making it the oldest known individual of any species.

How do I identify a bristlecone pine?

The best way to distinguish the Great Basin Bristlecone pine from the Limber pine is to look at the needles, which on the bristlecones are about one-inch-long and grow in packets of five. The needles completely surround the branches in tightly-bunched tufts.

Is bristlecone pine real?

Well if you haven't, Bristlecone Pine (Pinus longaeva) trees, native to southern United States, are the oldest trees on the planet; by oldest we mean, around 5000 years old. ... These trees must have seen around for many decades, must have borne many natural calamities, yet survived the test of time.