Immortal Plants - Do Plants Really Last Forever?

We all love spending time surrounded by trees and plants. Those leisurely walks through parks or hikes spark endless conversation. Most of the time, we find ourselves trying to identify different leaves and flowers, and our conversations often drift towards guessing the age of these majestic creations of God. But have you ever wondered how long a plant truly lives? Let’s dig into a few facts and see if there's any truth to the concept of immortal flora -

Trees: Champions of Long Life

Plants beat all when it comes to living a long life. The oldest known living tree is the ‘Great Basin bristlecone pine’ named Methuselah. It's over 5,000 years old; That's older than many countries!

Wondering the reason behind their prolonged age? Well, unlike animals, plants can keep growing new parts throughout their lives. Furthermore, as they grow slowly, they do not get worn out too quickly. Think of it like this: a slow and steady pace keeps them going for a long time!

Do Plants Really Live Forever?

Even though some plants live for thousands of years, they can't escape the circle of life forever. Here's why:

• Getting Sick: Just like us, plants also catch diseases from bugs and fungi. If they get too sick, chances are they won’t be able to fight it off and over the period, die.

• Weather Woes: It is observed that plants thrive best in weather that is friendly to them. Hence, natural calamities like big storms, long droughts and cold spells can be really tough on them. The year-round changes can be too much for a plant to handle.

• Getting Hurt: Lightning strikes, falling rocks or even hungry animals, accidents happen and can damage a plant; after all, it’s also a living thing.

• Getting Old (in a plant way): As plants age, it can get harder for them to bear fruits to make seeds or reproduce. This might mean the plant itself dies, but it continues to re-grow given its offspring.

A Different Kind of Forever

Some plants adopt a cool trick to live long. They don’t need seeds to reproduce and can make copies of themselves. There is a giant grove of aspen trees in Utah called Pando. It is not a forest but a huge organism. The root system is about 80,000 years old. So, even when the actual tree dies, the Pando stands tall forever!

The Final Leaf

So, while no single plant lives forever, some can live for a super long time. It’s just their special ways of growing and reproducing that help them stay around for a long time, reminding us of the amazing power of flora life on Earth.