Baykushev’s pine is a coniferous tree from the species Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichii). It is named after the forest rangers Kostadin Baykushev who has discovered and described this tree in 1897.
It is located near Banderitsa Hut on the road from Bansko to Vihren Hut. Baykushev’s pine is situated in North Pirin at about 300 m above Banderitsa Hut. The asphalt road from Banderitsa Hut to Vihren Hut forms a slight extension, which is convenient for parking; a fenced area can be seen from the road where the tree is located. The fence and the signs can be seen from the road and therefore one can hardly miss Baykushev’s pine. The tree is found in 1897 by the forest ranger Konstantin Baykushev at is located exactly at 1930 m above the sea level.
Its age is estimated at more than 1300 years, which makes it the oldest pine tree in the country and one of the oldest trees in the world. The approximate sizes of the tree are as follows: height 26m, diameter 2,48m, and circumference 7,80m.
In Bulgaria, Baykushev’s pine is the second oldest tree after the Granit’s oak in the village of Granit, Stara Zagora, which is 1650 years old.
