A solitary yew tree growing high in the Bavarian Alps has been recognised as Germany's oldest known tree, giving scientists a rare glimpse into a living organism that has survived for more than a millennium. Hidden on a mountain meadow near the village of Steibis, close to the Austrian border, the ancient tree has quietly endured changing climates, shifting landscapes and centuries of human history.

On a remote meadow in the Allgäu stands a living history book: a yew that may have thrived for over 1,100 years, possibly Germany's oldest tree. The gnarled giant near Steibis has…

A solitary yew tree growing high in the Bavarian Alps has been recognised as Germany's oldest known tree, giving scientists a rare glimpse into a living organism that has survived…