National Tree · India

Banyan

Ficus benghalensis

Officially designated Reported

The banyan tree, whose branches root themselves to form new trunks, is the national tree of India.

The banyan (Ficus benghalensis) is the national tree of India. Its branches send down aerial roots that thicken into new trunks, so a single tree can spread over a huge area and live for centuries – a fitting symbol of a nation's long life and unity.

Banyan trees have traditionally been village meeting places, giving shade to markets and councils. One of the most famous is the Great Banyan in the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden near Kolkata, whose canopy looks like a small forest.

Sources & references

  1. National Portal of India – National Identity Elements – Government of India , retrieved 10 Oct 2026 Reported