The Apple of Sodom – The Tree That Tells the Story of the Desert

When I guide travelers on a camel trek in Morocco, through the golden dunes and silent valleys of the Sahara, there is always a moment when we pause in front of a very unusual tree. In the middle of the vast emptiness, it stands quietly, resilient and humble: the Apple of Sodom (Calotropis procera).

A Resilient Desert Dweller

I show my guests its large, leathery green leaves and the delicate flowers that shift in color — sometimes white, sometimes purple. I explain that if the tree is cut, a milky latex flows out, toxic to touch. And yet, despite this poison, the nomads of Morocco have lived alongside this tree for generations, respecting it and using it in daily life.

More Than Just a Tree

Its light wood, we sometimes burn to make a small fire at the desert camp, when the night falls and we prepare tea under the stars. Its swollen fruits, shaped like strange apples, hold silky fibers inside. I tell my guests that this fluff, soft like cotton, is carried by the desert winds like a caravan of nomadic seeds, traveling endlessly across the Sahara to bring life to other places.

I often explain that the Apple of Sodom is like a messenger of the desert: where it grows, it shows that the Sahara is advancing, that the land is fragile. For travelers who come on a trekking tour in Morocco, this tree becomes more than just a plant — it is a symbol of survival, adaptation, and the wisdom of the nomads.

A Timeless Desert Spirit

Every time I share this story, whether during a long desert trek with camels, or while resting at our bivouac camp in Erg Chigaga or Erg Zahar, I see my guests smile. They understand that in the Sahara, nothing is ordinary. Even a simple tree carries memory, culture, and the timeless spirit of the desert.

For those who dream to sleep in the Moroccan desert, walk with nomads, and listen to the silence of the dunes, meeting this tree is a reminder that every step in the Sahara is also a step into history.