From B.C.’s towering old-growth forests to the knarled burls of the prairies, Canada is home to some seriously spectacular trees that have been around for hundreds of years, if not millennia. The fact that these ancient trees are still standing today is a testament to nature’s resilience as well as the environmental stewardship efforts on a provincial level and by grassroots organizations like Ancient Forest Alliance. 

Monumental Trees is a community-generated database of the oldest trees around the globe, with over 67,000 recorded trees and over 175,000 submitted photos in the registry. In Canada, the oldest trees span across multiple provinces, some of which are in places you might not expect.

The database started over 20 years ago by a single big tree lover about giant sequoias in Belgium and the Netherlands. By 2010, Monumental Trees became an interactive community website where users could add trees, measurements, and photos themselves, and now, the database spans dozens of countries worldwide.

oldest trees in canada
Whirlpool Point, Alberta via Shutterstock

Here are some of the oldest living trees in Canada, as recorded by Monumental Trees

Pinus flexilis (Limber Pine)

  • Whirlpool Point Limber Pine in Whirlpool Point, Alberta: 1,225 years old (+/- 500 years)

Common Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)

  • Hollyburn Fir at Upper Brewis Trail, Cypress Mountain, B.C. — 1,102 years old 
  • Opa, Xenia Centre, Bowen Island, B.C. — 1,025 years old (+/- 100 years)
  • 300 Red Creek Fir, San Juan River, Port Renfrew, B.C. — 1,025 years old (+/- 300 years)

Thuja plicata (Western Redcedar) 

  • eNORAmous Cedar, Ancient Cedar’s Trail, Whistler, B.C. — 1,024 years old
  • Ancient Cedars Loop Trail, Florencia Bay, B.C. — 725 years old (+/- 100 years)

Looking to explore some ancient trees by size or height? B.C.’s BigTree Registry and the Alberta Tree Register are here to help those curious explore even more notable trees in their respective provinces.

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Isabelle Vauclair

Staff Writer, Vancouver – Isabelle is a West Coast native with an appreciation for Vancouver’s natural landscape, patio scene, and community spaces. She loves to discover new hidden gems in her neighbourhood and share them with readers across the city.

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