Zonke izihlahla zinempilo ehlukile. Ngokwesilinganiso, i-oki liphila iminyaka engama-800, uphayini iminyaka engama-600, i-larch iminyaka engu-400, i-apula iminyaka engama-200, umlotha wasentabeni iminyaka engu-80, ne-quince cishe iminyaka engama-50. Phakathi kwama-livers amade kufanele abizwe nge-yew ne-cypress - iminyaka engu-3000 ngayinye, i-baobab ne-sequoia - iminyaka engu-5000. Yini isihlahla esidala kunazo zonke eMhlabeni? Futhi uneminyaka emingaki?
Isihlahla sikaMethusela
Isihlahla esiphila esidala kunazo zonke esisohlwini lweGuinness Book of Records yisihlahla sikaphayini iMethuselah, singaphansi kohlobo lwePinus longaeva (i-intermountain bristlecone pine). Ngesikhathi se-2017, iminyaka yayo yiminyaka eyi-4846. Ukuze ubone iphayini, udinga ukuvakashela i-Inio National Forest eCalifornia (United States of America), ngoba isihlahla esidala kunazo zonke emhlabeni wethu sikhula lapho.
Isihlahla esidala kunazo zonke satholakala ngo-1953. Ukutholwa kungokwesazi sezitshalo u-Edmund Schulman. Ngemuva kweminyaka embalwa ethole isihlahla sikaphayini, wabhala indatshana ngaso wasishicilela kumagazini odume umhlaba wonke i-National Geographic. Lesi sihlahla saqanjwa ngeqhawe laseBhayibhelini uMethuselah, owayenesibindi eside futhi waphila impilo yeminyaka engama-969.
Ukuze ubone izihlahla ezindala kunazo zonke emhlabeni wethu, udinga ukuhamba ngezinyawo ezintabeni ezimhlophe, ezitholakala emahoreni angu-3.5-4 ukusuka eLos Angeles. Ngemuva kokufika onyaweni lwentaba ngemoto, udinga ukukhuphukela ebangeni elingamamitha ayi-3000. IMethuselah Pine, isihlahla esingahlangene nesodwa, sikhula phezulu ezintabeni futhi akulula ukufinyelela kuso njengoba kungekho zindlela zokuhamba izintaba. Kanye nezinye izihlahla, uMethuselah ukhula ehlathini lezihlahla zikaphayini zasendulo, ezihlala isikhathi eside, ezineminyaka engamakhulu ambalwa kuphela kuye. Yonke lemiphayini imele ingunaphakade, njengoba ibone izehlakalo eziningi zomlando.
Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi izixhumanisi eziqondile zesihlahla esidala kunazo zonke emhlabeni azaziwa emphakathini jikelele. Azidalulwanga ukugcina isitshalo siphila. Lapho nje wonke umuntu esazi indawo, abantu bazoqala ukuza ngobuningi ehlathini, bathathe izithombe ngesizinda sikaMethuselah, bashiye udoti ngemuva, balungise ukucekelwa phansi kwempahla, okuzoholela ekubhujisweni kwemvelo kanye nokufa kwezitshalo ezindala kakhulu eMhlabeni. Mayelana nalokhu, kuhlala kuphela ukubuka izithombe ezifakwe ezincwadini ezahlukahlukene nakwi-Intanethi ngabantu abake babona isihlahla sikaphayini esidala ngamehlo futhi basithwebula ezithombeni. Singaqagela nje ukuthi yini ebangele impilo ende yesihlahla, ngoba ubude besikhathi sophayini yiminyaka engama-400.
