Ficus religiosa L.

Tree up to 25(-35) m tall, hemi-epiphytic (or terrestrial as planted tree), deciduous or evergreen. Branches drying (reddish) brown (to blackish). Leafy twigs 2-7 mm thick, slightly angular to subterete, (minutely) white puberulous to glabrous. Leaves spirally arranged; lamina (broadly) ovate to cordiform, (5-)10-20(-27) by (2.5-)8-13(-17) cm, (sub)coriaceous, apex caudate, the acumen sharp, base cordate to truncate; both surfaces glabrous; cystoliths only beneath; lateral veins (6-)7-9 pairs, the basal pair up to 1/8-1/4 the length of the lamina, mostly branched, tertiary venation reticulate to subscalariform; waxy gland at the base of the midrib; petiole (2.5-)4-12 cm long, glabrous; stipules 0.5-1 cm long, ciliolate or glabrous, caducous. Figs axillary or just below the leaves, in pairs (or solitary), sessile; basal bracts 3, 3-5 mm long, puberulous or only ciliolate, often splitting into lobes, persistent; receptacle subglobose, 0.5-0.8 (-1) cm diam., 1-1.5 cm diam. when fresh, glabrous, turning from pink to purple to black at maturity, apex convex to flat, ostiole 2-2.5 mm diam., prominent to flat, the upper ostiolar bracts glabrous; internal hairs absent. Staminate flowers near the ostiole. Tepals red. Ovary red-brown.

A tropical and subtropical plant. It often grows attached to other plants on rock walls and steep slopes. They are common all over India. It is a tropical and subtropical plant. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In XTBG Yunnan.

Has religious significance in several major religions that originated on the Indian subcontinent, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Held sacred by followers of Buddhism and Hinduism, commonly planted near temples (e.g. in India and revered in Thailand temples) and often meditated under. The founder of Buddhism, Guatama Buddha, reportedly sat under such a tree (known as the Bodhi tree) when he received enlightenment (bodhi). Various traditional medical uses and research in pharmacological properties, e.g. Kumar et al. (2018) and references therein. Grown as a ornamental tree in parks and gardens, and as a street tree; also used in Bonsai. The foliage is fed to stock, and the wood used for packing cases and sacrificial fires by Hindus (Ficus religiosa in eFlora of Pakistan, accessed January 2022).

Plants can be grown from seed or cuttings. They can also be grown from layers.