The tree has become a symbol of the human endurance, tenacity and human spirit identified by Cazneaux in the indigenous and pioneering people of the region.
The tree was photographed in 1937 by Cazneaux in a picture entitled The Spirit of Endurance which brought him international recognition. The tree is now an important landmark and a tourist drawcard for the area, attracting photographers and artists.
With a height of 29 metres (95 ft) and a circumference at the base of 11.4 metres (37 ft) the tree dominates the otherwise flat arid plateau composed primarily of grasslands.