Where was the first tree ever born?
That’s a great question, Lucas! It’s a bit tricky because trees didn’t just suddenly appear as one single “first tree.” They evolved gradually from earlier, smaller plants.
However, based on the fossil evidence we have so far, the earliest known tree-like plant is called Wattieza.
- When: It lived around 385 million years ago, during the Middle Devonian period.
- Where: Fossils of Wattieza have been found in what is now New York State, USA, as well as in other parts of the world like Belgium and Venezuela. The most complete fossils that helped scientists understand what it looked like came from Schoharie County, New York.
So, while there wasn’t a single “birth” moment for the first tree, the earliest plant we’d recognize as a tree probably grew in the ancient swampy environments of places like present-day New York.
Keep in mind that new fossil discoveries can always change our understanding!