What is Ficus religiosa?
Q: What is Ficus religiosa?
A: Ficus religiosa is a species of fig found in the Indian subcontinent and Indochina.
Q: What family does Ficus religiosa belong to?
A: Ficus religiosa belongs to the Moraceae family, also known as the fig or mulberry family.
Q: What are some other names of Ficus religiosa?
A: It is known as the bodhi tree, pippala tree, peepul tree, peepal tree, or ashwattha tree in India and Nepal.
Q: Why is the sacred fig considered significant in three major religions of the Indian subcontinent?
A: The sacred fig is considered significant in Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism because it is the type of tree under which Gautama Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment. Hindu and Jain ascetics also consider the tree to be sacred and often meditate under them.
Q: What is the growth pattern of Ficus religiosa?
A: Ficus religiosa begins life as an epiphyte and eventually surrounds and outlives its host tree. Its growth pattern is like dozens of vertical trunks stuck together, with a space in the middle where the original tree of another species once grew.
Q: What is another name for the bodhi tree?
A: The bodhi tree is another name for Ficus religiosa.
Q: Where is Ficus religiosa found?
A: Ficus religiosa is found in the Indian subcontinent and Indochina.
