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Sacred fig — Whole tree
Moraceae (fig family)LC · Least concern

Sacred fig

Ficus religiosa L.

Also known asPeepal treeTree of enlightenment

Sacred fig (Ficus religiosa) is a large fig with heart-shaped leaves ending in a long drip-tip; the Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment beneath a Bodhi tree, making it a sacred species planted at temples across Asia.

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Oct 9, 2026
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Overview

A large tree 20–30 m tall with a wide, long-lived crown. Leaves are alternate, heart-shaped and glossy, drawn out into a slender 2.5–4 cm drip-tip that sheds rainwater. Small purplish-red figs grow in leaf axils; the tree often starts life as an epiphyte and sends down aerial roots.

The Bodhi tree is sacred in Buddhism and often planted at temples and shrines, casting deep shade. In Ayurveda, bark and leaves are used for various ailments; the leaves also host lac insects that yield shellac resin.

Life cycle

From seed to product

Seed

Tiny seeds in the figs germinate on host trees (epiphytically) or in moist soil.

Sapling

Young plants may live as epiphytes, sending roots to the ground that become supporting trunks.

Flowering

Flowers are hidden inside the fig, pollinated by specialised fig wasps.

Fruiting

Figs ripen purplish-red, food for birds and bats; trees live for centuries.

Distribution & origin

Share of recorded occurrences by region
  • India · Nepal (native)34%
  • Southeast Asia22%
  • Vietnam12%
  • China · Sri Lanka18%
  • Other plantings14%

Chemical composition

Relative content in agarwood resin
  • FlavonoidsIn leaves and bark32%
  • TanninsAstringent bark26%
  • PhenolsAntioxidant22%
  • Shellac resin · othersFrom leaf-hosted lac insects20%

Uses

  • Sacred temple tree; shade tree
  • Bark, leaves and fruit in traditional medicine (Ayurveda)
  • Leaves for lac insects (shellac); bark for tannin and fibre

Properties

Leaf
Heart-shaped, long drip-tip, glossy
Fruit
Small purplish-red fig
Habit
Broad crown, aerial roots

Habitat & conservation

Native to South Asia; likes a warm tropical to subtropical climate and deep, well-drained soil; often grows by rivers and around temples and is planted across Vietnam.

Conservation

Not globally threatened (IUCN: Least Concern). Widely planted and revered; no major concern.

References

  1. 1Plants of the World Online — Ficus religiosa — Kew Science, 2024
  2. 2IUCN Red List — Ficus religiosa — IUCN, 2019
  3. 3Ficus religiosa — ethnobotany and pharmacology review — J. Ethnopharmacol., 2011
  4. 4Hình ảnh minh hoạ lấy từ Wikimedia Commons, tôn trọng giấy phép ghi kèm — Wikimedia Commons,
  5. 5Nguồn ảnh: Anish nellickal (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikimedia Commons — Wikimedia Commons,
  6. 6Nguồn ảnh: Amada44 (CC BY 3.0), Wikimedia Commons — Wikimedia Commons,
  7. 7Nguồn ảnh: Sudan Shrestha (CC BY-SA 3.0), Wikimedia Commons — Wikimedia Commons,
  8. 8Nguồn ảnh: Earth100 (CC BY-SA 3.0), Wikimedia Commons — Wikimedia Commons,
  9. 9Nguồn ảnh: RTG (CC BY-SA 3.0), Wikimedia Commons — Wikimedia Commons,
  10. 10Nguồn ảnh: Avi1111 dr. avishai teicher (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikimedia Commons — Wikimedia Commons,
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