ABSTRACT

Andersson, M. & Niklasson, M. 2004. Rekord­gammal tall på Hornslandet i Hälsingland. [The oldest known Scots pine tree in Sweden is 757 years old.] – Svensk Bot. Tidskr. 98: 333–338. Uppsala. ISSN 0039-646X.

We investigated the ages of 77 old-looking and slow-growing Scots pines Pinus sylvestris in Hornslandet in the province of Hälsingland, central Sweden. Hornslandet is a coastal peninsula dominated by extremely poor, rocky areas and shingle fields. Exceptionally old Scots pines were found, one of which is the oldest known Scots pine in Sweden, germinating no later than 1247. The tree is only 9.2 m high and has had a consistently very low growth rate, but is still vital. The stony and arid ground, the open conditions and previous low-intensity forest fires all seem to be important factors (apart from a low extent of cutting) explaining why the Scots pines have reached such high ages in this area