What is the Oldest Tree in Africa?

Across the savannas of Africa, ancient baobab trees stand as silent witnesses to millennia of history. With their massive trunks and root-like branches, they have been fixtures of both the landscape and local culture, providing resources and serving as spiritual centers. The question of which single tree is the oldest is complex, touching on history, science, and recent discoveries about the health of these giants.

The Legacy of the Sunland Baobab

For many years, the most famous claimant to the title of Africa’s oldest tree was the Sunland Baobab, a celebrated Adansonia digitata on a farm in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Its trunk had a circumference of 47 meters, and its immense, naturally hollowed-out interior was famously converted into a functional pub. This pub featured a bar, seating, and even a wine cellar in a second hollow that remained a constant 22°C.

Carbon-dating estimated its age at approximately 1,060 years, though some analyses suggested it was much older. The tree provided shelter for owls and other bird species within its vast structure. Its fame drew tourists from around the world to enjoy a drink inside a living being that had stood for over a millennium.

Between 2016 and 2017, the tree’s story took a tragic turn. The pressure of its own weight, combined with the natural hollowing process of aging, caused its main stems to crack and collapse. A major section broke off in August 2016, and by 2017, the tree had split apart, destroying the famous bar inside. The owners left the fallen sections on the ground, allowing nature to reclaim the giant.

Current Contenders for Africa’s Oldest Tree

With the collapse of the Sunland Baobab and the earlier demise of Panke, a Zimbabwean baobab estimated to be 2,450 years old when it died, the question of Africa’s oldest tree is open. The scientific community continues to identify and date these trees, making the title a matter of ongoing discovery.

One of the oldest known living specimens is the “Big Tree” near Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, with its oldest part estimated to be around 1,150 years old. Another contender is the Sagole Baobab in South Africa. While it is the largest living baobab on the continent, its age is estimated at 800 to 900 years.

Determining the Age of Ancient Trees

Determining the exact age of a baobab is complex. Traditional methods like dendrochronology, or counting tree rings, are unreliable because baobabs form rings irregularly, if at all. This growth pattern required scientists to develop a more suitable dating method.

The current standard for dating ancient baobabs is radiocarbon dating using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). This sensitive method allows researchers to analyze small wood samples. Scientists extract samples from the oldest parts of the tree, often found deep within the inner cavities that form as baobabs age. By measuring the carbon-14 in these samples, scientists can calculate a calibrated calendar age for different parts of the tree.

This approach reveals that many large baobabs are not single-trunked individuals but are composed of multiple, fused stems from different generations. For instance, research on one tree revealed three distinct generations of stems, with the oldest being approximately 1,150 years old. This multi-stem structure helps explain the longevity and complex life history of these trees.

The Great Demise of Africa’s Baobabs

The collapse of the Sunland Baobab was not an isolated event. A 2018 study in Nature Plants revealed that many of the oldest and largest baobabs across southern Africa have died in recent years. Researchers surveying these trees since 2005 found that nine of the 13 oldest and five of the six largest specimens monitored had either died or their oldest stems had collapsed.

This widespread die-off of trees aged between 1,100 and 2,500 years is statistically unlikely to be from natural causes alone. While the exact cause is still under investigation, the leading hypothesis points toward regional climate change. Scientists suspect rising temperatures and more severe droughts in southern Africa have placed these ancient trees under stress.

Baobabs store vast amounts of water in their trunks to survive dry periods. Altered rainfall patterns could leave them vulnerable, especially during flowering and leaf-producing cycles. While some research suggests the die-offs might be due to structural issues or natural cycles, the scale and timing of the losses remain a concern for the future of these ancient trees.