Digital Garden

Ficus benghalensis

Banyan, Vad, Bargad 

 Scientific name- Ficus benghalensis L. 

Common name- Banyan, Vad, Bargad 

Family- Moraceae 

Habit type- A very large tree with aerial roots. 

Habitat- Grows in tropical climate 

Leaves 

Ovate, obtuse, entire, coriaceous, bud-scale stipules Bark 

Older banyan trees are characterized by aerial prop roots that mature into thick woody trunks which can become indistinguishable from the primary trunk with age. 

Inflorescence-Hypanthodium, receptacles in sessile pairs, axillary globose, red when ripe, with 3 basal bracts. 

Flowers 

Female flowers with sepals shorter than male, ovary straight, long eccentric. 

Male flowers are near the mouth with sepals 4, lanceolate Stamen 1. 

Fruits 

Syconus red, globose. 

Flowering and Fruiting time- November-January 

FACTS & MEDICINAL USES 

•Treats diarrhoea- taking the small budding leaves and soaking them in water creates a powerful astringent agent that is very good for healing diarrhoea, gas, dysentery and irritation of the GI tract. 

•Prevents tooth decay and gum disease- taking the aerial roots and chewing on them prevents gum disease, tooth decay and bleeding gums. The aerial roots act as a natural toothpaste and also helps with bad breath. 

• Boosts immunity. 

• Prevents inflammation- arthritis and joint pain is associated with inflammation of the joints. This is not only painful but also restricts daily movement. The sap of the banyan leaves have anti-inflammatory properties so it can be helpful against conditions like arthritis. 

•Antibacterial and antifungal- the bark of a banyan tree contains both antibacterial and antifungal properties. It controls bacterial and fungal infections. 

• In Hinduism, the leaf of the banyan tree is said to be the resting place for the god Krishna. 

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna said, "There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down, and the Vedic hymns are its leaves. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas." 

• In some species, the prop roots develop over a considerable area that resembles a grove of trees, with every trunk connected directly or indirectly to the primary trunk. The topology of this massive root system inspired the name of the hierarchical computer network operating system "Banyan VINES". 

• Due to the complex structure of the roots and extensive branching, the banyan is used as a subject specimen in penjing and bonsai. The oldest living bonsai in Taiwan is a 240-year-old banyan tree housed in Tainan.