You would never guess at first glance that it could be possible. But what looks like a forest is actually one of the largest and oldest living organisms on Earth. In essence, it’s one living being called Pando.
The Pando tree, also known as the “Trembling Giant,” is located in the Fishlake National Forest in central Utah. The tree spans over 106 acres and weighs an estimated 6,600 tons. Pando is not just a single tree in the traditional sense. It’s a clonal colony of an individual male quaking aspen determined to be a single living organism.
Discovered in the 1970s through genetic testing, Pando is estimated to be thousands of years old, with some estimates ranging up to 80,000 years. This ancient organism has survived through millennia due to its unique reproductive strategy. Instead of spreading through seeds, the quaking aspen reproduces by sending up new shoots from its underground root system. This means all the approximately 47,000 trees in the Pando grove are genetically identical and function as a single organism.
Pando is not just a biological wonder, it’s also an ecological treasure. If you want to experience the magic of this organism up close, plan your next trip to Fishlake National Forest in Utah.
