A
bristlecone pine can refer to one of three
species of
pine trees (family
Pinaceae, genus
Pinus, subsection
Balfourianae). All three species are long-lived and highly resilient to harsh weather and bad soils. One of the three species,
Pinus longaeva, is among the longest-lived life forms on Earth. The oldest
Pinus longaeva is more than 5,000 years old, making it the oldest known individual of any species.