Banyan Trees

The banyan tree is a common office and houseplant, but in the wild it’s a gigantic tree. In the Indian jungles, the banyan tree starts life out as an epiphyte, growing on another tree where a fig-eating bird deposited a seed. As it grows, the banyan tree produces aerial roots that hang down from horizontal branches which then take root where they touch the ground.

Needless to say, this can multiply into huge proportions and these vertical “prop roots” can create a forest on their own. Banyan Trees can become 100 feet tall and spread over several acres with the help of their extensive “prop roots”. There is a well known Banyan Tree near Poona, India that is said to measure ˝ mile around its perimeter and can hold 2,000 people underneath it.

Then Banyan Tree is native to India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It is considered sacred by both the Hindus and Buddhist and is planted around temples. The Banyan Tree can thrive indoors and can do so year round if repotted every 2-3 years. Outdoors, the Banyan Tree survives in Hardiness zones 10-12 and needs half to partial shade to do best.