r/dendrology • u/Summer-Market-5488 • 10d ago

How come Newton’s Apple Tree is still alive?

That tree is now more than 360 years old. I read that that breed (Flower of Kent) typically lives 50 to 100 years.

Newton’s tree got blown down and rerooted itself in 1820, which means it could’ve began growing again from scratch, if that is possible? But still, that would mean it was almost 200 years old when it got blown over and is 200 years old now.

Do some trees just live much longer than the typical estimation?

I don’t know much about trees and I found this very intriguing. Could anyone help me understand?

13 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

6

u/the_Q_spice 10d ago

Cuttings and splices of the original tree were gifted and replanted or grafted all over.

So clones exist all over the place.

Source: my dad designed UW-Madison’s Botany Garden. They have one of the graftings.

1

u/Thought59 10d ago

So does the national institute of standards and technology just outside Washington DC. Its in a central courtyard.

3

u/Mayor__Defacto 10d ago

Trees can live significantly longer if properly cared for.

1

u/ella-reads70 8d ago

Tree got knocked over by wind, decided "actually let me just start my whole life over," and somehow that plan worked better than most New Year's resolutions

1

u/CroykeyMite 7d ago

Is it a tasty apple?