Welwitschia: One Of The Oldest Living Plants In The World

Some individuals of this species have been alive since before the foundation of Sparta. This is Welwitschia.
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CREDITS
Created by Dylan Dubeau
Executive Producer, Director, and Director of Photography: Dylan Dubeau
Host: Tasha The Amazon
Editors: Jim Pitts and Cat Senior
Producer: Andres Salazar
Writer: Lauren Greenwood
Camera Operator: Colin Cooper
Music From Audio Network:
Warring Spartans
Giving It The Shpiel
Il Ritorno
Waltz Detective
Di Me
Savoir Faire
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Exploring the World of Plants and Fungi.

[@BazzBrother]

Welwichia has all the aspects of a Dark Souls character: weird name, ancient, looks undead, probably a cthulu beast if ever hit by anyone.

[@Croagunk_the_First]

I see you are a man of Culture as well

[@Did.You.Forget]

Hilarious lol

[@stephenjohn2131]

I knew i would find my DS and Elden Ring family here!! 🥂

[@starshocker]

Probably one of the best comment ever written 👌

[@davidhadley6164]

Amen.

[@geo9860]

When I visited Namibia, we were lucky enough to see loads of these plants. Honestly they're huge and kinda crazy 😂

[@ICA_Ghost]

did you cry laughing when you saw them?

[@stratcat3216]

Aye.. the LOOK crazy lol

[@MrTraveller.]

Namibia 🇳🇦 was an interesting place to explore for sure

[@Sonsbitchesall]

Lol

[@rebelliouslogic2705]

@@MrTraveller. omw there!

[@edwardnewgate6583]

I'm so happy you are talking about Welwitschia, I'm from Angola an African country, and this plant is kinda one of our national symbols so, Thank you

[@zainmudassir2964]

Wow Angola beautiful country

[@KMcirca82]

why do you call it by the colonizers name if it is a national symbol?

[@edwardnewgate6583]

@@KMcirca82I don't know. I don't speak our national languages

[@KMcirca82]

@@edwardnewgate6583 sad. lost person. that plant predated and postdated the colonizer whom it's named after. at minimum call it tree tumbo.

[@edwardnewgate6583]

@@KMcirca82 Look, in my house they didn't teach me any of our national languages. And I like Welwitsichia more. And I'm not a lost person for that

[@Ghost95975]

What about a video on olive wood trees? They are also really old as their seeds drop near the base of the tree and as they grow, they merge into the main trunk and become the "new trunk" which will forever repeat, thus becoming essentially immortal.

[@BSIII]

There's olive trees dated up to 6,000 that are still alive today, and bearing fruit.

[@TheNaturalGamer1]

Yeah right

[@blueredbrick]

Wow never heard of that before.

[@dominus6695]

do they fuse and take over, combine their dna with the main tree, or just appear to 'merge'? You'll have to explain that accurately... if they grow near the base they're just a new specimen...

[@sunrisesunset1734]

That makes no sense, if their seeds start new life then they can't be called immortal. It's like calling the people in a household immortal because although granny died, grand-kids were born and continue to live there.

[@christmassnow3465]

Welwitschia is a Gymnosperm, like the distantly related conifers, Cycas, Ginkgo, Gnetum and Ephedras. Also the Ginkgo Biloba is the sole survivor of its family and even its order. It is worth noting how those two species survived while the other species in their respective families were gone extinct.

[@leavesongrass]

Tell us how, or where to find the info. Thanks!

[@legonlavia]

@@leavesongrass on the wikipedia

[@roderickbrouwer6771]

It isn’t even distantly related, welwitschia is technically a conifer.

[@Alexander-pm3zx]

Being a namibian myself I love to watch these sorts of videos about my countries own flora and fauna, the information is almost always 100000% correct except for the pronunciations since the names were typically first written in the afrikaans language where Ws are pronounced as Vs, Vs as Fs, and Fs as Fs. So here we pronounce it as vel-vitch-ia, and namibia as nah-mi-bia 10/10 video, keep up the awesome content 👍🏽

[@CaraTheStrange]

Explaining Afrikaans pronounciation to Americans is a herculean task. I was there on a school exchange and we couldnt even explain how to say teef, the closest we got was “teav” 😂

[@aperinich]

The discoverer was Austrian however, and the plant bears his namesake. It would be a "V" sound, but not because it was "first written in Afrikaans", which is doubtable for an Austrian, but rather because the Austrian pronunciation of "W" being "V". As you would no doubt be aware, the pronunciation of the letter in Afrikaans is a result of Dutch being a West Germanic language in its roots...

[@andyandy-ym1co]

I want to share my experience in growing welwichia , and actually this is crazy for me I didn't think I grew it, I bought the seeds from a flower shop in Thailand I thought it was a scam but I bought them anyway, I tried to grow them but I feel like a failure after waiting for more than a month, but I was surprised it suddenly grew like a spinach seed it has two baby leaves, I'm very happy, but not long ago i noticed the leaf had yellow spots, i thought i would kill it but it grew, after that I started asking why my welwichia has strange leaves and it turned out to be varigated I did not expect that I grew this unique plant in the varigated form I can't wait for it to become a beautiful mature plant

[@idrisuzunoz6688]

Do you have photos of it? :D

[@youtubeaccount7544]

That’s valuable.

[@teeteestar3012]

The welwitschia plant reminds me of the cycle of life: birth, death, and rebirth. It keeps on growing new leaves even as the old ones wither.

[@HercadosP]

Like most nonperennial plants...

[@krankarvolund7771]

That's the thing, they don't grow new leaves XD They continue to grow the same two leaves, even though the end of it start to wither and die ^^

[@amadiohfixed1300]

As they say, old people are full of wisdom

[@amingus09]

@@HercadosP fr

[@stefanostokatlidis4861]

They don’t grow new leaves every time the old leaves die. The leaves are growing from the inside of the plant and add on the existing leaf. Just like how our nails grow.

[@mikeyangel420]

I can totally see this plant saying "do not cite the deep magic to me witch, I was there when it was written"

[@tylerjones1574]

Can you do a video on the jaboticaba tree? They are fascinating califlourus fruiting trees native to South America.

[@yellowflowerorangeflower5706]

Yes plz

[@LER0YBM]

Grew up with one of them, would climb up the tree and eat all the jaboticabas when I was little

[@tylerjones1574]

@@julm7744 I've never tried them but I have some seeds of the scarlet variety that can fruit in 3 years in a container. I heard they can survive down to 26°F so I figured in Oregon I'd only need to take them inside a few days a year.

[@ThePlayfarer]

Are those the ones that grow fruit on its trunk?

[@nunyabiznes33]

They grow near the equator or do they need it a bit cooler?

[@G5xgajsjY793]

"it's not the prettiest" "it's not the easiest on the eyes" am I the only one who thinks it's gorgeous 😭

[@GoEvenHarder]

The music made me think that the plant would scream ""ZEEEEEEEEUUUSSS!" at any moment

[@elilivezey7884]

its insane to think how long these have lived, but even more crazy to think about how long it took to evolve!

[@demetrialowther727]

YEEESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!! My request plant! I think it should have been mentioned the weird nature of their 'infinite leaves' as well because the cellular growth stuff is pretty weird too. In simple terms, the 'stem cells' that most plants have at the centre of the stem, that keep progressing the plant's growth forward via adding more stem and leaves, just die when its a seedling and instead manifest at the leaf bases. So In theory it 'could' be a tree with multiple leaves, but none ever get to develop past 2 leaves (maybe it was a defect they adapted around, maybe it was advantageous?). Its literally a tree stump that cut itself down. But what really fascinates me is their phylogenetics (and subsequently how I discovered them with the observation of a 'what the f*ck is that group doing out there by itself?'). They fall into the division 'Gnetophyta' along with only two other surviving genera (Ephedra and Gnetum, who look nothing like each other I might add), but this Gnetophyta division is just 'odd'. Its those little cone clusters that are part of the mess (no flowers, just little cones, like a pine tree). Many would probably remember the crude plant groups of 'conifers' vs 'flowering plants' (with the latter having the crude distinctions of 'dicot' vs 'monocot'), but then there's Gentophyta just fluffing about somewhere in the middle with the conifer's cones and the angiosperm's vessel elements. They've been all over the plant phylogenetic tree and even today with modern genetics and the general consensus they lean to the basal conifers, they still refuse to make any sense. They're the glitch in the system. A tiny, chaotic family of barely-related rebel genera, somehow clinging to existence amid a world of 'modern' plants, long past their time in this world, just long enough to baffle and cause ire to humans and our attempts to make order of the world. If I might suggest some future video ideas for plants I think are pretty interesting, unique, etc. - Amborella - A weird basal Angiosperm from New Caledonia (that island is a botanical wonderland of basal groups and weirdness) - Parasitaxus - Weirdness galore! The only known conifer to evolve as a parasite. A red-grey, shrivelled wonder... also from New Caledonia. - Nothofagus gunnii - An Antarctic hold-out, hiding in the mountains of Tasmania. Australia's only native winter-deciduous species and an icon of Tasmanian flora, not just for the stunning autumn display it puts on in a country not know for its autumns. - Wollemi Pine - A fossil discovered to still be alive in a secret valley near Sydney. The story of this species is fascinating (Jurassic Park for botanists, just imagining the feelings when they realised what it was they were looking at). It seems every botanic garden in Australia will have one now, planted alone in pride of place with an interpretive panel detailing its incredible story.

[@israelbrown5252]

You learn something new everyday thank you for teaching me this

[@bambirival3716]

just long enough to baffle and cause ire to humans and our attempts to make order of the world. ? . . . Nah, humans are the problem them self for sure. its in our roots where it got messed up big time XD.

[@moggie8605]

Hi Robin, how fascinating is your knowledge of plants?! Thank you so much for this comment and to request this plant to be featured. I am wondering, do you grow odd and weird plants yourself?

[@KaciHazaCoolPhone]

This is incredibly fascinating!! What a joy to read! Thank you for sharing this extra info! 😃

[@gildedpeahen876]

✊freedom plant says fuck your human definitions

[@marianocolsin8968]

Welswitchia looks like that plant Ina surviving videogame that is very common and has little use but is also essential for the Start of the game so it has to be very distinguishable from anything else

[@AreGeeBee]

You obtained Plant Fiber (7)

[@joemilbourne3151]

I was under the impression that the Bristlecone pine is the oldest plant in the world at 5000 years old....

[@rezarishehri2135]

And there is also "abarkooh ancient cypress tree" with 4500 year old age

[@joemilbourne3151]

@@applegal3058 Read the headline and think again about your post !!

[@applegal3058]

@@joemilbourne3151 oh ok. Yeah, you're right. I didn't read the title...just listened to what she said. I'm sure that's easily fixed by them. Thanks for pointing it out.

[@applegal3058]

@@joemilbourne3151 I've deleted my previous post so as to not cause future confusion if they fix the video title down the road.

[@BSIII]

And there's olive 🫒 trees that are still alive today that have been alive for 3000-4000 years in the Mediterranean.

[@WilliamOfUrnge]

This is one of my favorite plants!! A friend of mine is growing a few in his greenhouse! You should make a video on the Dragon's blood tree in Yemen!

[@Skibbityboo0580]

I actually think it's quite beautiful!

[@DrakoWulf]

There's a Great Basin bristlecone pine tree in the mountains of Eastern California, named Methuselah. It is more than 4,850 years old. That's over 2,300 years older than Socrates, over 1,500 years older than the Trojan War, and over 700 years older than the Middle Kingdom of Egypt.

[@spawnsrevenge]

Yes, there are Bristlecone that predate Jesus atop of Mt Charleston NV as well. I do not believe the "66 million" theory thrown out there with this plant in the video. That's a lie

[@klubstompers]

Yea, and Pando is 80,000 years old, Jurapa Oak over 13,000 years old, Old Tjikko is 9,550 years old, Great Basin Bristlecone Pine 5,071 years old. There are 10 plants older than this plant in the video. Maybe she didn't know trees are plants. :D

[@DrakoWulf]

@@klubstompers | Methuselah is the oldest non-clonal plant, while the ones you listed aren't singular organisms. Calling them the oldest organisms would technically be correct, but I feel like it's almost cheating in a way. The Methuselah tree is, by itself, the oldest lone organism.

[@klubstompers]

@@DrakoWulf 8 of the 10, are singular organisms. Only the first 2 consist of multiple plants. Calling them the oldest plants, is correct, because they are plants. Some plants are trees, some are bushes, some are weeds, some flowers, some in the sea, some on land, but that one thing they all have in common, is that they are all plants.

[@DrakoWulf]

@@klubstompers | All of the plants older than Methuselah are clonal, and do not possess individual organisms that are older than Methuselah. If you'd like to cite a source that says otherwise, please do.

[@authormichellefranklin]

"Looks dead, but is still alive. Has trouble reproducing." Me too, Welwitschia. You ain't special. ;)

[@marshallemmett3313]

The Ghost Orchid. I'm sure there are more interesting plants in my home state of FL, but the Ghost Orchid, I think, is the most captivating.

[@iaindavis4417]

There are some specimens of bristlecone pine that are five thousand years old

[@Max23465789]

I came looking for this comment before I posted the same. Methuselah is petting this whippersnapper on the head he's 4,853.

[@jeffjones6951]

Some olive groves in the Middle East have provided fruit since before Current Era. The folklore is that olive trees never die. Don't know how old they get, but at least 2,000 years

[@PirvateerKurei]

Amazing, a plant that could have seen the greatest accomplishments of mankind

[@gshaindrich]

so what could it have seen? Wars, genocides, destructions of vast areas of earth, extinction of dozens of species. "greatest accomplishments of mankind" ? man, I bet you also think humans are the pinnacle of evolution and the most complex and intelligent lifeform. THINK!

[@aestinoct]

I remember first learning about these things a couple of years ago, but everywhere I looked online, there was hardly any information on them and I've had them in the back of my mind since. I had no idea they were so cool! Thanks for opening my eyes to these crazy desert octopi and givin em some love.

[@starshocker]

These videos'll never cease to amaze me. We learn so much from them and this is much appreciated 👍. Always been a nature lover.

[@Rivergreeen24]

Please talk about Cycads! I don't know much about them biologically but I do know that they are highly valuable and are regularly stolen or poached! Many places in South Africa put guards on them to make sure they aren't stolen.

[@TimKapow]

We had a cycad in our garden (South African, Western Cape) and it was indeed stolen out of the ground.

[@AquaticFlapper125]

Cycads are a type of gymnosperm a non flowering plant. Most species have poisonous seeds. Many species are endangered from poaching especially African species. Cycads are very old plants being from the time of the dinosaurs. In fact stegosaurs we’re cycad specialists.

[@iambumbo7534]

that plants older then the candy in grandma’s bowl

[@rustymustard7798]

Incredible, this plant was alive for 2,995 YEARS before the first TikTok video!

[@Dusxio]

Welwitschia honestly sounds like something from mythology or fantasy.

[@jessecardenas5223]

I've loved this plant since I got into botany in 2019, glad to see you've made a video of it!^-^

[@TheSuluGuy]

I actually own a welwitschia plant and didn't even know it. I got it at this nursery and didn't know that it was such a special plant

[@nittygritty7034]

That's really fascinating! And the photo of one in a green house was really beautiful!

[@robmaxwell189]

Thank you so much. I've been fascinated by this plant since first reading about it as a kid.

[@DanGamingFan2846]

How about a video on the manchineel tree: the tree to toxic to exist?

[@DanGamingFan2846]

*too

[@GrillWasabi]

So I've learned these plants have eyes; hence, "They've seen some things!"

[@xxkhandikidxx]

That looks really similar to the plant in Wolf's Rain. The one that caused the illusion of the fake paradise. I wonder if that's where the author got the idea from.

[@kaechan9590]

I would love to add one to my plant collection. They're totally unique

[@trekkingalbertosaur8870]

I appreciate you teaching us about these plants, I knew nothing about them. Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦

[@Forever_Rayne]

I learned about them last year and I'm so fascinated by them. I hope that I get to see one in person one day!

[@aholyspaniel9624]

Random man: I’m perturbed by the fact that you’re older than my great grandfather This plant : Welwitschia gonna do about it?

[@seanhampson4126]

Would love a video on different hatiora species. I have a hatiora salicornioides plant that is super fun to grow and propagate. And amazing video as always, thanks again!

[@sussekind9717]

Some people may say it looks like a completely dehydrated, and shriveled up octopus, laying flopped out in the middle of the desert, but I think it's rather beautiful. But then again, I'm a weirdo. I grow mushrooms on my wall, and I have a 3 legged nutria in my backyard, and when I'm bored, I jump out of airplanes (sometimes helicopters, but the rotor wash sucks).🤙

[@IchiteM]

My botany Prof Poschlod is a HUGE fan of her and mentions her in EVERY course he gives xD

[@lamcb.9476]

Walking around in the desert: “why do I suddenly hear ‘I’m a survivor’ ?”

[@NinjaOrchids]

These are amazing plants! 👍🏼

[@AphidKirby]

YESSS!1 I love Welwitschia!! Really happy to see it get a spotlight! Also can you talk about Epiphytic Bromeliads? They're my fave family of plants!!

[@Totalinternalreflection]

Never new I could relate to a plant so much...

[@chillyperson23]

Y'all should talk about tillandsias! They are another family of plants that get most of their moisture from the air. Some of them in the Atacama desert, where hundreds of years can pass between rainfall, get their moisture purely from fog.

[@lucpraslan]

Epiphyllum Oxypelatum Talk about The Queen Of The Night next! It's a cool plant with incredible flowers that bloom only for about 9 hours then they close permanently. The flowers are the size of a dinner plate and have an unusual somewhat lemon-y fragrance. They attracts insects. I grow them, they're a very cool plant 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@Joeballs187]

Thank you for sharing your passion and leveraging your place and time to bring us a fun video

[@KareemHarper]

So as a '78 kid that grew up in a flora jungles mom would nurture that I haven't learned to appreciate until now... Please, Sister Amazon, keep making these videos. I am still playing catchup to make a specific request, but fully support and endorse this endeavor to supplement fauna continent on #Animalogic. This has been years of amazing content that deserves more love. Bravo y'all.

[@emc2beans]

An episode on the Mother of Thousands succulents (and maybe similar species that clone themselves) would be cool!

[@bazzboda4785]

Cycads would be cool.

[@falcolf]

Loved this! So cool to learn about this super weird plant!

[@deeliciousplum]

"Don't put that on the internet." Famous last words. 😊🤭 Resilient and old as heck plant.

[@victoriap1649]

Why do I feel like I’ve seen this plant covered on floralogic before? So weird lol, anyone else have this memory?

[@theslantedroomstudios]

I love the extended universe from Animal Logic to Floral Logic! Coming soon, GeoLogic, SeaLogic, ToyLogic, etc!

[@RealFredbear]

The possum plant?

[@Ranakade]

I glanced at this and thought it said: "The oldest living Planet in the World" 🤣

[@drewpool4537]

I like how my screen can't quite figure out the tones on the dead parts when it's zoomed out. Makes the withered ends look blueish. So pretty.

[@devonrobertson8533]

this is so interesting! I would love to learn about parasitic plants! 💖💖

[@ctgeorgia]

How about more relevant fact... 1000 years before the birth of Christ.

[@squeegie]

Humans: stubs toe... /dies Welwitschia: starved, half dead, chewed on... /I'M A SURVIVOR!

[@oozorakyou]

"they like Chicken McNuggets but they didn't get those until like 2700 years old." what a strict mom this plant has..

[@tinkeriso6169]

5,000 years old Redwood trees: Am I a joke to you?

[@Johny40Se7en]

What a cool plant. Imagine being able to talk with one, it'd be like an interview with a vampire 😅😝 A treasure trove of history and ancient stories, experiences and wisdom.

[@MinutePlant]

6:01 "Don't put that on the internet" Editor: is that a challenge?

[@GhostSquirell]

"Don't put that in the internet." Oh it's definitely on the internet

[@nowheretoofar]

It’s my understanding that the bristle cone pine is the oldest plant in the world. Visiting a grove of those trees felt nearly sacred.

[@jerulew3547]

Amazing plant. Didn't know any living thing was that old, even a tree.💖

[@timehathtcg]

this is ... probably the most dramatic intro for a plant vid lol XD

[@tracybowling1156]

I was wondering about greenhouse conditions for this plant. I'm glad you answered it. It really is a pretty plant when it gets all it's needs met, huh?

[@JustinRed624]

Some guy spilled their immortality potion and now we have this

[@andrewkawam2603]

Love the welwitschia and great video as always from this channel !!!!!!!! :) Could you guys please do an episode about the flowerpot snake?

[@dragonslayer3552]

This plant is probably talking to other plants through a root system and goes "I have lived more than 3000 years and have seen some serious shit"

[@CorwinFound]

Not normally a fan of plant talk but Tasha always makes it fun and interesting. Yay Amazons!

[@pepitoquebec1241]

The cone really make me think of a conifer, and the leave remind me the moose fern and also some kind of alga

[@wannabeMLGpro]

"I wouldn't say we're friends, I'm more of a welwictschia"

[@OneGuyOnline2]

Enjoyed that report on Welwitchia. What to talk about next? The devastation of fungus gnats on potted plants. I am sure they attack the roots causing root rot somehow in some plants. No one seems to know anything about fungus gnats nor what to do to help the plant survive if it has been damaged. Never had fungus gnats before so was completely blind sided by the infestation and where it came from. Lost several plants. My huge corn stalk plant was horribly affected. Everything I did seemed to make it worse. I didn't know what I was doing wrong, but the plant kept shedding leaves. Stopped all watering for months, but the root ball wouldn't dry out. Finally I soaked the root ball in peroxide water. Then the plant started recovering. The whole story was probably 6 to 8 months long. I thought I was going to loose this giant plant of mine. Why did this all happen? I am sure I am not the only one who has struggled with this crazy.

[@seionne85]

Lmao those bloopers, so great 😄

[@sarcasmo57]

Oh man, I dug about 6 of these out of my back yard.

[@sakurafan771]

Welwitschia when the dinosaurs are dying: *Y'all hear sumthin?* Other Welwitschia: *It's probably just the wind or something.* Welwitschia: *Okay.*

[@MagicianFairy]

"They like chicken nuggets." And suddenly every 3-5 year old likes this plant too.

[@KeitieKalopsia]

This 100% looks like the kind of plant that witches make their potions out of.

[@oraziogallipoli7829]

King leonida: this is sparta!!! Welwitschia: kids...

[@waterboi4846]

yeah nah when you approach that plant youll see a red bar and suddenly ull hear choirs singing

[@ConstantChaos1]

I'm interested in learning how this is the oldest when there are older

[@hannahyamauchi839]

Never even heard of this little guy before! I hope they continue their reign long after we go extinct

[@Xil_Gon_Give_It_To_Ya]

Why did my mind look at the thumbnail and interpret the picture of the plant as a comic book drawing, with shades of black to represent shadows.

[@EssixLaPoomf]

I just got this video as an ad on another video lol

[@richsenecal]

3000 years is certainly a long time, but I am pretty sure that it is about 2000 years short of the record.

[@BSIII]

The Two Sisters olive tree is 6,000 years old

[@Whabligone]

I have seen this for the first time in one of ItchyBoots episodes, still amazing me

[@uprightape100]

Ummm, Bristlecone Pines cans reach 5,000 years old. Coast Redwoods and Giant Sequoias can both reach 3,000 if they don't fall over (falling is their major cause of morbidity). Trees are plants too, ya know. Edit: the original headline was a definitive "Oldest Plant In The World".

[@loralevis625]

That's what I've thought, too: "WHAT have THEY seen 😅?!!"

[@leoribeiro9098]

This plant is awesome, wtf?????? Major respect for it

[@DjurrenArt]

Idky why, but I have a feeling that these plants can uproot and relocate themselves when no one's watching.

[@PrinceHeru]

This is something from dark souls. Like a rare herb that boosts your magic or something.

[@TjakaErasmus]

Welwitschia is the national plant of Namibia. The Namibian rugby team is known as the "Welwitchias".

[@faucetpower1208]

That stone statue looks as if its eyesight got affected by the lights

[@juanrangel1408]

I fell In love with this plant when I first saw it in the field museum of Chicago. It’s truly beautiful in its own way