A name in memory
Shajarat Al-Hajj is one of the natural landmarks the people of Sadus count as part of their town's story.
No one can say for certain how it got its name, but the name alone is enough to make it a stop on any walk around the village.
On the pilgrims' road
Sadus lay on one of the old Hajj roads linking Al-Yamamah with Makkah, and was one of its notable stops.
A name like the pilgrim's tree feels right at home in a town that knew pilgrims, and was known by them.
Trees of the ravines
Travellers and historians described Sadus as a lovely oasis ringed by farms and palm groves, with tamarisk, pomegranate and acacia trees growing in the fields and along the banks of the ravines.
When rain falls, desert plants spring up: rabla, sabt, basbas, arta and arfaj, and the salty qadha and shinan.
In the shade
Stop beneath its branches and let the moment stretch. In open country, the shade of a single tree becomes a place to rest, talk and look around.
Set out early in the morning or in the late afternoon, carry plenty of water, wear shoes made for gravel and rock, and never go alone.