# Root is not the oldest

**URL:** <https://nextstrain.discourse.group/t/root-is-not-the-oldest/537>\
**Category:** Help and Getting Started\
**Created:** [May 19, 2021, 7:36am UTC](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/t/root-is-not-the-oldest/537 "2021-05-19T07:36:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Dana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@Dana](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/u/Dana)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2021, 7:36am UTC](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/t/root-is-not-the-oldest/537/1 "2021-05-19T07:36:25Z")

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Hi 👋,

although I defined the root as oldest in augur refine, the root is not the oldest, and the dates are not accurate. How can I fix that?

attached is an image of the resulting tree.

 ![image (1)](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/nextstrain/original/1X/1128ed1d7ba8c5823eb255b16ac67de020c84009.png)

Thank you,  
Dana.

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**Author:** ![rneher](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/nextstrain.discourse.group/rneher/32/20_2.png) [@rneher](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/u/rneher)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2021, 10:21am UTC](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/t/root-is-not-the-oldest/537/2 "2021-05-19T10:21:56Z")

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the root doesn’t necessarily correspond to the oldest sequence. But something went wrong in your analysis. You probably need to fix the clock rate and/or remove outlier sequences. Your root date is too early.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@Dana](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/u/Dana)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2021, 9:12am UTC](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/t/root-is-not-the-oldest/537/3 "2021-05-25T09:12:37Z")

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I removed an outlier sequence + added fixed clock rate and it worked.  
Thank you!