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Do trees die of old age?

tree.jpgQuestion

Do trees die of old age? They obviously die of lack of water, disease etc, but do they die of natural causes due to old age?
Tom, Ware

Answer

Name: Andrew, Woodford Green
Qualification: Timber worker for most of my life
Answer: They never actually die of old age, but the older it gets, the more it leans and will eventually pull it's roots out and kill itself. If you actificially made it grow directly upwards, it could conceivably live forever. But like humans, as trees get older, they get more susceptible to disease.