What is the Sahara Desert’s famous lone tree, destroyed in 1973, commonly called?

The Sahara Desert’s famous lone tree, destroyed in 1973, is commonly called the Tree of Ténéré.

The tree was a remarkably isolated acacia, identified as Acacia tortilis, in Niger’s Ténéré region. It stood near an ancient caravan route and became a landmark for travellers crossing one of the most desolate areas of the Sahara. No other tree was known to stand nearby for many kilometres.

Its survival was linked to a deep water source reached by its roots. A well was dug near the tree in the 1930s, and investigators found that its roots reached groundwater far below the surface.

In 1973, a truck driver struck and killed the tree. Its remains were later moved to Niger’s National Museum in Niamey, and a metal sculpture marks its former location. The tree is remembered as both a natural landmark and a symbol of desert isolation.