Olive Tree in Northeast Spain is 627 Years Old
Posted on May 17, 2012
Researchers have dated long-lived olive trees in Northeast Spain. The oldest olive tree was found in Montsia, the southernmost county of Catalonia. The olive tree is 627 years old, which is one of the oldest documented ages in Europe. It is also one of the oldest ages ever recorded in a Mediterranean ecosystem.
Researchers from the Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF) used classical methods based on analysis of growth rings of trees to estimate the ages of the trees. The scientists analyzed 14 olive trees (Olea europea) in the coastal region of Montsia. The researchers say they used a technique to extract a small cylindrical stem extending from the cortex to the heart of the tree. Their work is published in the journal Dendrochronologia.