Welwitschia: One Of The Oldest Living Plants In The World 

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

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

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

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 👍🏽

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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!

I actually think it's quite beautiful!

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

First time watching this channel and I must say we'll done. I was entertained, informed and the editing was top notch.

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

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

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.

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

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

that plants older then the candy in grandma’s bowl

Welwitschia honestly sounds like something from mythology or fantasy.

Cycads would be cool.

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!!

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

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

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

These are amazing plants! 👍🏼

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

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!

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

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).🤙

i gotta admit i am growing to love Tasha, her episodes are straight slappers ive never been more interested in plants!! LFG!

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

Plants are so facinating. The fact so many of them can out live us is so amazing. Our world whould be so ugly without plants

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

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

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

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

The graphic of the meteor hitting Western Australia instead of Mexico was amazing! Love the rap.

The possum plant?

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

To me, the whole of each episode is basically just and interlude to Tasha's outtakes XD

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

Just wanted to say, I really LOVE the baby blue hair!!!

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

Tasha, never change. You're awesome.

Oh my gosh, Tasha I love your hair! I’ve always been a huge fan of blue and teal :D (apologies if this isn’t the first video with that hair, I’ve missed a bunch of uploads from like, everywhere I follow)

This is exactly the kind of stuff that inspires me to write. Thanks for sharing this dope af knowledge!

This is so interesting 🌱

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.

I read about these in my 20s (Am 54 by now). But I must admit: Absolutely amazing. Nature just keeps fascinating us.

Excelent choice of music. Among other things.

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.

I live in Western Australia, and one plant that caught me off guard is the Tassel Flower (Leucopogon verticillatus), it looks nothing like it's habitat, it looks likes a tropical flower in the Australian bush, I thought it was a foreign species but turns out it is reminents of the supercontinent Godwana. Another interesting plant we have here is Ficus watkinsiana, commonly known as strangler fig, it's a parasite fog tree that strangles other trees to death with it's roots. Our grass trees (Xanthorrhoea) are very interesting in their growth pattern. There is so many in Western Australia, we are one of 6 biodiversity hotspots in the world.

Interesting video, I just subbed, the channel deserves its attention and more.

I really like your enthusiasm and passion.

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

lol I can't believe you're the person on Danger's album. What a cool channel!

PLEASE do a Floralogic channel, we literally need itttttt

What a wonderful presentation. Welwichia is a most ancient plant. Only other plants 3000 years old is the Undumbarra that have now appeared again on Buddha statues and windows and doors around the world. Such weird and wonderful ancient plants are fascinating to learn about.

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

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

Hi Tasha T. A. Love your show and your humor. Most of all your teddy bear hair pom poms. From an OG, "Old Guy." Dalton

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".

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

Brilliant 😎 I saw this plant at Kew 30 years ago and haven't seen one since, beggining to think I'd dreamt it 😄

I love all the animalogic videos, 2k and 4k is a sight diamond.

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.

Fascinating stuff, Tasha.

When I was in Namibia I was lucky enough to see those grass circles. super cool - you should go

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

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.

Welwitschia look so relaxed I'm jealous

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

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

Can't help but notice the resemblance between Tasha's hair color and the dead Welwitschia leaves in that final shot.

3:17 So satisfying to see it rain in a desert

Tasha Tasha Tasha!!!!!! Love love your hair❤❤❤ About this plant, I never heard about them before!!! They sound awesome!!

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

U should do an episode on poison ivy, sumac and other poisonous plants that grow in North America.

Lol that ending..pretty smooth

Welwitschia is a great name for a hero with immortal powers

That ending was prime!

What a beautiful old pile of leaves! Such a cool story.

Love this!

Lmao those bloopers, so great 😄

Yes i think there is beauty in the survival of that plant ☺. One other african genus i find interesting is the aloe. Shrub like and tree aloes look amazing, euphorbias are great plants too.