Until 2013, Methuselah, an ancient bristlecone pine was the oldest known non-clonal organism on Earth.1 Methuselah was 4,789 years old when examined in 1957, with an estimated seeding date of 2833 BC. That makes Methuselah—commonly referred to as the oldest tree in the world—4,855 years old in 2023. But nearby in Methuselah's White Mountains of California, in Inyo National Forest, another bristlecone pine was discovered that is thought to be even older. Methuselah and its unnamed senior pine's exact locations are kept a close secret in order to protect them. Methuselah is still alive and you can visit the grove where it hides, but you'll have to guess which tree it is.
Sarv-e Abarqu, also called the "Zoroastrian Sarv," is a cypress tree in Yazd province, Iran. The tree is estimated to be at least 4,000 years old and, having lived through the dawn of human civilization not far away, it is considered an Iranian national monument. Many have noted that Sarv-e Abarqu is most likely the oldest living thing in Asia.
Though the Senator suffered tragedy in 2012 after a fire caused much of the tree to collapse, this iconic tree bears mentioning. Formerly located in Florida, the Senator was the largest bald cypress tree in the U.S. and was widely considered the oldest of its species known to exist. It was also likely the largest U.S. tree of any species east of the Mississippi River. Estimated to have been around 3,500 years old, the Senator was used as a landmark for the Seminole Indians and other native tribes. The Senator's size was particularly impressive because it endured many hurricanes, including one in 1925 which reduced its height by 40 feet. The tree got its name from Sen. M.O. Overstreet, who donated the tree and surrounding land in 1927.
Believed to be around 2,500 years old, General Sherman is the mightiest giant sequoia still standing. The volume of its trunk alone makes it the largest non-clonal tree by volume in the world, even though the tree's largest branch broke off in 2006. Perhaps this was a sign that General Sherman could not be caged in? Sherman can be found in Sequoia National Park in California.