Jurupa Oak

The Jurupa Oak, or Hurunga Oak,[1][2] is a clonal colony of Quercus palmeri (Palmer's oak) trees in the Jurupa Mountains in Crestmore Heights, Riverside County, California. The colony has survived an estimated 13,000 years through clonal reproduction,[3][4][5] making it one of the world's oldest living trees.[5] The oak was discovered by botanist Mitch Provance in the 1990s and at the time he recognized it as disjunct for the species and likely an “ancient” clonal stand.

Jurupa Oak / Palmer's oak (on the right is tagged #1)

The colony only grows after wildfires, when its burned branches sprout new shoots.[3] It is the only one of its species in the surrounding area, which is a much drier climate and lower altitude than that in which Palmer's oaks typically grow.[3] The oak has roughly 70 clusters of stems in a thicket which measures 25x8 metres in area and one metre in height.[5]

The colony is located within a mile of 34.033°N 117.391°W / 34.033; -117.391 at an elevation of approximately 1,312 ft (400 m) on a relatively steep north-facing slope.[5]

See also

References
  1. Seifer, Helene (April 1, 2020). "Archeologist Speaks For Earth's Oldest Oak". Larchmont Chronicle. John H. Welborne. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  2. "The Jurupa Oak; Third Oldest Living Thing on Earth". Los Angeles Almanac. Given Place Media. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  3. Yong, Ed (December 26, 2009). "The 13,000 Year Old Tree That Survives By Cloning Itself". National Geographic. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  4. The World's Oldest Plant -Alive at the Last Ice Age, The Daily Galaxy, November 29, 2010
  5. May, Michael R.; Provance, Mitchell C.; Sanders, Andrew C.; Ellstrand, Norman C.; Ross-Ibarra, Jeffrey (December 23, 2009). "A Pleistocene Clone of Palmer's Oak Persisting in Southern California". PLOS One. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008346. PMC 2796394. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
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