Banyan Tree

Ficus benghalensis

Also known as Bengal Fig, Indian Banyan, Vata Vriksha, East Indian Fig Tree

At a glance

Family

Moraceae (fig family)

Type

Massive evergreen tree

Parts used

Bark, aerial roots, leaves

Size

Trunk can reach 20 to 25 meters tall, but the canopy spreads without real limit as aerial roots descend and thicken into new trunks, one tree can eventually cover several acres

Bloom

Tiny flowers hidden inside small fig receptacles, pollinated almost exclusively by a single species of fig wasp

Habitat

Native to the Indian subcontinent, thriving along riverbanks, temple grounds, and village squares throughout tropical and subtropical regions

Acquisition

Grow or buy

Traditional remedies in HerbSense

Key benefits

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Traditionally soothes digestion

Astringent support for skin

Traditional gum and mouth care

Revered shade and shelter

Traditional uses

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Long before it became a garden curiosity, the banyan was one of the most venerated trees of the Indian subcontinent, its bark, latex, and aerial roots woven into Ayurvedic tradition for centuries. Healers traditionally prepared decoctions of the bark to settle the digestive tract and to support healthy blood sugar levels, while the aerial roots were simmered into rinses valued for gum and mouth care. Beyond medicine, the tree itself holds deep spiritual weight, worshipped in Hindu tradition as Vata Vriksha, a symbol of eternal life, and still planted today at temples and village centers as a gathering place under its living canopy. It is also the national tree of India, a fitting honor for a species that seems to build its own small forest wherever it takes root.

How to grow & use it

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Traditional remedies and step-by-step preparations, a complete growing guide, and how to harvest, dry, and store it, all unlocked with HerbLens Unlimited.

✦Remedies & preparations
✦ Growing guide
✦Harvest & storage

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Pairs well with

✦Turmeric
✦Holy Basil (Tulsi)
✦Ginger

Substitutes

✦Peepal (Ficus religiosa) bark
✦Haritaki (Terminalia chebula)

Choose it when

“For a tradition rooted in shade, shelter, and slow, settling comfort.”

Did you know?

A single banyan tree can look like an entire forest, because its aerial roots thicken into secondary trunks as they reach the soil. The Great Banyan Tree in Kolkata's Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Botanical Garden has grown so wide over nearly 250 years that it now covers close to four acres, and its original central trunk was removed long ago because visitors could no longer tell where the one true tree began.

Safety

Its milky latex can irritate skin and eyes and should not be applied or taken without proper preparation. Bark preparations traditionally used for blood sugar can interact with diabetes medication, and internal use is best avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding.