This blob of a plant has lived up to 30 modern human lifespans, or 3,000 years, in the Atacama Desert of Chile:
3,000 Year Old Llareta (Azorella compacta), Atacama Desert, Chile. Small, packed branches and leaves are so dense you can stand on it. © Rachel Sussman
This humble spruce has lived a staggering 9,550 years in Sweden:
Spruce (Picea abies) in Fulufjället, Sweden. Apparently the tall part is only 40 years old, the shrubby growth below is ancient. © Rachel Sussman
Here is a Nambian desert dweller, Welwitschia, of 2,000 years:
Welwitschia mirabilis, Nambia. © Rachel Sussman
And a truly ancient 80,000 year old aspen clonal colony in Utah:
Aspen (Populus tremuloides) clonal colony “Pando”, comprising more than 100 acres in Utah. © Rachel Sussman
These and more can be found in photographer Rachel Sussman’s new book, The Oldest Living Things in the World
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We are but fleeting moments of anti-entropy, with much to learn from these ancient plants.
↬Colossal