Welwitschia — the Oldest Plant

The Welwitschia mirabilis is one of the most bizarre plants on Earth — and it grows only in the Namib Desert in Namibia and Angola. Charles Darwin called it the "platypus of the plant kingdom" — so strange it is.

What makes the Welwitschia so extraordinary:

• Age: Some specimens are over 1,500 years old — the oldest possibly 2,000 years. The famous "Big Welwitschia" near Swakopmund is estimated to be over 1,500 years old
• Only two leaves: The plant produces only two leaves throughout its life, which grow from the base and weather at the tips. Over time, they become tattered and look like a tangled heap
• Fog drinker: It extracts moisture from coastal fog through an extensive root system
• Slow growth: It grows only about 1.5 cm per year — patience in plant form

The Welwitschia is Namibia's national plant and adorns the cover of the Namibian passport. The most famous specimens can be found on the Welwitschia Drive — a 50-km circular route east of Swakopmund through the lunar landscape of the Namib (D-Pad 1991/1998).