Plants that have lived for thousands of years reveal their secrets to longevity in new book
In botanical times
Christophe Bois
Chelsea Green, $40.00
On a scree-strewn slope in the mountains of eastern California, a gnarled tree twists toward the sky. This is Methuselah, a bristlecone pine from the Great Basin (Long-lasting pine) and one of the oldest trees in the world. More than 4,800 years old, Methuselah germinated several hundred years before Imhotep began building the first pyramid of ancient Egypt.
It is difficult to imagine such a long lifespan when humans only live a few decades. But the new book from author and gardening expert Christopher Woods In botanical times helps readers do just that, telling the life stories of millennia-old plants and unveiling the science behind their longevity along the way.
One of the secrets to longevity is to slow growth, Woods writes. This helped many ancient plants survive in less than ideal environments. For example, growing about an inch per century allows Methuselah to focus its energy on surviving freezing temperatures, nutrient-poor soils, and howling winds. The accumulation of genetic changes conferring traits such as disease resistance has also contributed.
Other ancient plants have a different approach to growth: cloning. Clonal plants create copies of themselves – often via their roots – allowing them to reach remarkable ages even after the original iteration dies.
Woods describes a Norway spruce (Picea abies) in Sweden, which cloned itself for 9,500 years, sprouting a new trunk from its roots every few centuries. And then there is Pando. This grove of aspens (People trembling) in Utah may appear as 47,000 distinct trees, but an underground examination reveals that aspens are a single organism with a root system approximately 14,000 years old. New plants grow from Pando’s root system and are genetically identical to the others, meaning that even if a single tree dies, the organism continues to live.
However, these ancient trees are relative babies compared to a meadow of Neptune grass (Oceanic Posidonia) off the coast of Spain. An analysis of DNA and seagrass growth rate revealed the plot was between 80,000 and 200,000 years old. It grows in the same way as Pando, through rhizomes which produce genetically identical shoots.
Woods also regales readers with mythological tales. According to a Greek myth, the dragon trees (dracaena sp.) germinated from the blood of the hundred-headed dragon killed by Hercules. Two species, D. cinnabari And D. Dragooozes a blood-red sap – something so rare and astonishing that “it can only be attributed to myth,” writes Wood.
The oldest known dragon tree, growing in the Canary Islands, is estimated to be 1,000 years old. But it is difficult to determine the precise age of these trees because the interior of the trunk is spongy and therefore does not have growth rings. For many proposed ancient plants, the lack of growth rings prevents scientists from accurately measuring their ages. And when it comes to trees with growth rings, a rotten core can confuse the age analysis because the oldest growth rings are missing.
Although sometimes repetitive, Woods’ cheeky prose and rich visuals make In botanical times an easy, engaging read for plant lovers and superlative seekers. In an age where longevity and wellness are hot topics, this book serves as a reminder that perhaps the best thing you can do is live your life a little slower.
Buy In botanical times from Bookshop.org. Scientific news is affiliated with Bookshop.org and will earn commission on purchases made from links in this article.
