A tree native to the Indian subcontinent. The Indian specimen is one of the largest trees in the world by canopy cover. It is also known as the "strangler fig" because it initially grows as an epiphyte, leaning on other trees and eventually suffocating them.

Ficus benghalensis is a banyan tree commonly found in tropical forests at elevations of up to 600 meters above sea level. However, this tree can also grow in lowland to highland forests, as well as open areas. This fast-growing evergreen tree, found primarily in the rainy season and rainforests, can reach heights of up to 30 meters. It is drought and light frost tolerant. It produces creeping roots that grow downward as aerial roots on branches that grow downward like lianas. Once these roots reach the ground, they take root and become woody, supporting stems.

• The taproot spreads into the ground and supports the tree's large size. The roots form a net-like structure and function as a nutritional safety net.

• The banyan tree's trunk, like other tree trunks, is cylindrical, rough-textured, and has sympodial branching. A sympodial trunk is a type of trunk with many branches and lacks a single main trunk. The banyan tree's trunk diameter can reach 2 meters.

• Banyan leaves are oval with pointed tips and blunt bases. The leaves grow alternately and have pinnate veins.

• The flowers are cauliflowers, which grow in the leaf axils. The banyan tree's flower stalk is cylindrical with funnel-shaped, green petals. The corolla is round and greenish-yellow, while the stamens and pistil are yellowish.

• The banyan tree produces false fruits, or figs, which serve as a food source for nearby animals. The fruit is round and green when unripe.

• Propagation is done generatively (seeds) and vegetatively (stem cuttings).

The part of the banyan tree that can be used as a herbal remedy is its leaves. They are usually used to treat mouth ulcers. The leaves are washed and then boiled. Furthermore, the leaves are also useful for treating respiratory tract inflammation, flu, whooping cough, colitis, dysentery, and fever-related convulsions.

Banyan fruit contains saponins, flavonoids, and polyphenols. However, its uses have not been widely explored.