What is the oldest tree in Kew Gardens?

The maidenhair tree is one of the oldest living tree species in the world. Known as a 'living fossil', it is the sole survivor of an ancient group of trees that outlived the dinosaurs.



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Kew Gardens is home to more than 14,000 spectacular trees, of all shapes, sizes, species and ages.

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The Nymphaea thermarum was discovered in 1987 by German botanist Eberhard Fischer at a thermal freshwater spring in Mashyuza, Rwanda -- the only known location in the wild.

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The name Kew, recorded in 1327 as Cayho, is a combination of two words: the Old French kai (landing place; quay derives from this) and Old English hoh (spur of land). The land spur is formed by the bend in the Thames.

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Treasured trees Heritage trees: Some of our oldest trees date back to the 18th century and include the Japanese pagoda tree (Styphnolobium japonicum), the Lucombe oak (Quercus x hispanica 'Lucombeana'), and the black locust tree (Robinia pseudoacacia).

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The Great Basin Bristlecone Pine (Pinus longaeva) has been deemed the oldest tree in existence, reaching an age of over 5,000 years old. The bristlecone pine's success in living a long life can be attributed to the harsh conditions it lives in.

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Timber! The world's 7 most famous trees
  • 1: Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, Sri Lanka.
  • 2: General Sherman, USA.
  • 3: Burke & Wills Dig Tree, Australia.
  • 4: Major Oak, England.
  • 5: Methuselah, USA.
  • 6: Boab Prison Tree, Australia.
  • 7: El Arbol Del Tule, Mexico.


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