Scientists have identified the oldest tree in Europe—a small common juniper (Juniperus communis L.) growing in Finnish Lapland that has reached the age of 1,647 years, surpassing the oldest previously recognized trees in Europe by over four centuries.
The research team was led by Marco Carrer, a forest ecologist at the Department of Territory and Agro-Forestry Systems at the University of Padua. "From today, to this record is added that of being the oldest shrub in the world," concluded Carrer, noting the ecological value of shrub communities, according to La Repubblica.
To determine the age of the juniper shrub, scientists used dendrochronology techniques, specifically studying growth rings. They estimated that the juniper sprouted in 378 CE. "We studied the rings of the wood to extract valuable information about climate change and the development of vegetation," explained Angela Luisa Prendin, co-author of the study, as reported by ANSA.
This ancient juniper challenges previous assumptions about longevity in woody plants. Until now, the record for the oldest tree in Europe was held by a Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichii) that was only 1,200 years old.
Remarkably, the trunk of the common juniper measures less than 10 centimeters in diameter, which is small for a shrub of its age.
The common juniper has resisted extreme conditions throughout its long life, facing freezing temperatures, nutrient scarcity, and climatic changes. Researchers consider it a living example of how some species can adapt to the toughest conditions.
"The common juniper is known to everyone as a spice in the kitchen or an ingredient for the production of gin," stated Carrer. "Less known, however, is the fact that it is also the most widespread woody species on our planet: it is found from sea level to the upper limits of vegetation, from Alaska to Mount Etna, from Japan to Scotland," he added.
This discovery is the result of a study coordinated by the University of Padua in collaboration with international researchers, reported by ANSA.
The growth rings of the common juniper act as a natural diary, recording the environmental conditions and climate changes it has experienced throughout its life.
"Junipers, despite their small size and infinitesimal growth, produce annual rings like all conifers," explained Carrer.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.