The tree on the right is the oldest living red spruce (Picea rubens) at 445-years-old.

Discoverer of oldest living red spruce tree

Ben Phillips, a student from Mount Allison University in Sackville NB, discovered the oldest living red spruce tree this summer as he was conducting his research project along the Bay of Fundy. Ben took a core sample from the tree and, under a high-powered microscope using tree-ring analysis, discovered that the tree was 445-years old. The core sample from this historic tree contains valuable scientific information, climate patterns, etc. can be traced through tree-ring analysis and this tree gives scientists 445 years of information. Ben is very protective of this historic tree and is not divulging its location. Ben says that the tree is not as big as might be imagined, it is only 30cm in diameter and “rather scraggly”. Despite its unimposing appearance Ben describes the tree as “magical”.

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