Sacred fig

Ficus religiosa is a large evergreen to seasonally deciduous tree 20–30 m tall with a broad crown; it is very long-lived, and many specimens are over 2,000 years old. The bark is pale grey and the trunk can reach about 3 m in diameter; young plants often begin life as epiphytes on other trees or structures, later sending down aerial roots. The leaves are alternate, heart-shaped and glossy, 10–17 cm long, and end in a slender drip-tip 2.5–4 cm long that sheds rainwater — the most distinctive feature. The small purple-red figs, 1–1.5 cm across, are borne in pairs in the leaf axils; the chromosome number is 2n = 26.

Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/09/2026

Ficus religiosa is one of Asia’s most sacred trees: tradition holds that Prince Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment beneath a sacred fig at Bodh Gaya in India, and the tree thus became the Bodhi (enlightenment) tree. It is revered in Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism and is therefore planted at temples, shrines and heritage sites. The Mahabodhi tree at Bodh Gaya and its descendant, the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Sri Lanka (planted in 288 BCE), are among the oldest living planted trees with a recorded date.

Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/09/2026

The bark and leaves contain several groups of compounds: flavonoids, tannins, phenolics, sterols and triterpenes (such as β-sitosterol), together with small amounts of furanocoumarins (bergapten, psoralen) that cause photosensitivity. The tannins give the bark its astringent taste and are used in tanning. The leaves also host the lac insect (Kerria lacca), which secretes shellac — a natural varnish resin. The figs are the hub of a highly specialised mutualism: each Ficus species has its own pollinating wasp, and the two pollinate each other inside the fig.

Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/09/2026

Ficus religiosa is planted as an ornamental, shade and sacred tree at temples and along roads throughout South and South-East Asia and China. In traditional medicine (Ayurveda, East Asian medicine) the bark, leaves and fruits are used for asthma, wounds, diarrhoea, diabetes and inflammation, and modern studies report antioxidant, antimicrobial and blood-sugar-lowering effects in leaf and bark extracts. The bark yields tanning tannins and paper fibre; the leaves are used to rear lac insects for shellac and as fodder; the wood is soft and not durable, used for light packing.

Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/09/2026

Ficus religiosa is listed as Least Concern (LC) by IUCN — it is not globally threatened. As for safety, the plant’s parts are not a common food; the milky latex can irritate the skin and cause allergy. Furanocoumarins in the leaves cause photosensitivity, so avoid prolonged skin contact with fresh leaves before sun exposure. Traditional preparations from bark or leaves should be used only under professional guidance and not as a substitute for prescribed treatment.

Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/09/2026