The Bristlecone Pines of
Great Basin National Park
Bristlecone Pines are among the oldest living things
on our planet. Some of these trees are up to five thousand years
old. They are found on extremely rugged sites in many of the high
mountians of the southwest United States. The great age attained
by these trees is due to their unusual ability to abapt to their
environment. They often live in isolation, where trees of other
species cannot survive. The wood of these trees is fine grained
and resinous, which makes it highly resistant to decay. Instead
of rotting, they are sculpted and polished by the elements. They
can remain standing for thousands of years after they die.
A living Bristlecone Pine.
An example of a sculped dead Bristlcone.
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Bristlecone pine cones.
Bristlecone needles have a tendency to be lighter in
color compared to most pines, approaching a yellow-green. They
are remarkably uniform in length and tightly packed.
This tree has been cored by an increment borer. Instead
of cutting a tree down, scientists can count the annual tree rings
in the core giving them an idea of the tree's age. The study of
the rings of trees is called dendrochronology. The thickness of
tree rings can also give a idea of past climates. Thick rings
represent wet climates and thin rings represent dryer climates.
A sculpted Bristlecone.
This Bristlecone is about 3,200 years old!!
Bristlecone and Great Basin National
Park Links
Last updated 9/23/01
All photos taken by Michael Vanden Berg.
All rights reserved.
