The peepal tree (Ficus religiosa), also called the sacred fig, pipal or ashvattha, is a large, long-lived fig tree native to the Indian subcontinent and revered in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. It is easily recognised by its heart-shaped leaves that end in a long, narrow tip, and it is the species to which the famous Bodhi tree of Bodh Gaya belonged.
Across India the peepal tree stands at village squares, temple courtyards and roadsides, serving as a shaded meeting place, a religious symbol and an important food source for birds and animals. This explainer sets out what the peepal tree is, how to identify it, why it is sacred, what its ecology looks like, and which popular claims about it hold up and which do not. Information was last reviewed on 22 October 2026.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Ficus religiosa |
| Family | Moraceae (the fig and mulberry family) |
| Common names | Peepal, pipal, sacred fig, bo tree, Bodhi tree, ashvattha |
| Native range | Indian subcontinent, extending into parts of Southeast Asia and south-western China |
| Typical height | Commonly 20 to 30 metres, with a broad, spreading crown |
| Growth habit | Large, semi-evergreen to deciduous tree; may begin life as a hemi-epiphyte on walls or other trees |
| Best-known tree | The Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, Bihar, under which Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment |
| Religious significance | Sacred in Hinduism and Buddhism, and respected in Jain tradition |
| Ecological role | Keystone fig whose small fruits feed birds, bats, monkeys and squirrels |
Key Takeaways
- The peepal tree is the sacred fig, Ficus religiosa, a member of the fig family Moraceae native to the Indian subcontinent.
- The leaf of the peepal tree is heart-shaped with a long, drawn-out “drip tip”, and its slender stalk makes the leaves flutter in even a light breeze.
- The Buddha is traditionally said to have attained enlightenment under a peepal tree at Bodh Gaya, which is why the species is called the Bodhi tree.
- In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna names the ashvattha, the peepal tree, as his manifestation among trees.
- The peepal tree is a keystone fig: its small figs are eaten by many bird, bat and mammal species and support a dedicated fig wasp that pollinates it.
- The popular claim that the peepal tree gives out oxygen all night is not supported by mainstream plant science; it photosynthesises mainly by day like most trees.
What is the peepal tree?
The peepal tree is a large fig tree, botanically named Ficus religiosa, that grows naturally across the Indian subcontinent and neighbouring parts of Asia. It belongs to the same genus as the banyan (Ficus benghalensis) and the common fig, and, like them, produces its flowers hidden inside a fleshy structure that ripens into a fig.
The species name religiosa, meaning “of religion”, was given by the botanist Carl Linnaeus in the eighteenth century and reflects the way the tree is treated in the region of its origin. In India it is known by dozens of local names and is among the most widely recognised trees in the country, even though it is not the national tree; that status belongs to the banyan.
A mature peepal tree typically has a short, stout trunk with pale grey, flaking bark and a wide, rounded crown. Its branches spread outwards, creating dense shade that has made the tree a natural centre of community life for centuries.
How can you identify a peepal tree?
A peepal tree can be identified most reliably by its leaves, which are broad, smooth, heart-shaped and finish in a long, narrow tail-like tip. This tip, sometimes called a drip tip, is thought to help shed rainwater quickly from the leaf surface.
Leaves
Peepal leaves are typically about 10 to 18 centimetres long, with a leathery texture and a prominent network of pale veins. Each leaf hangs on a long, thin, flexible stalk, so the whole canopy shimmers and rustles at the slightest wind. New leaves appear in a soft pinkish or coppery-red flush, usually after a brief leafless period in the dry season, and mature to a glossy green.
Figs, bark and shape
The fruits of the peepal tree are small figs, usually 1 to 1.5 centimetres across, borne in pairs in the leaf axils. They are green when young and ripen to purple or dark red. The trunk is often fluted or buttressed in old trees, and the bark is smooth to slightly rough, grey to brownish.
Peepal versus banyan
The peepal tree is often confused with the banyan, but the two are easy to tell apart. Banyan leaves are oval and stiff, and the banyan drops aerial roots from its branches to form pillar-like trunks, whereas the peepal tree has heart-shaped, tailed leaves and does not typically form such prop roots.
Where does the peepal tree grow?
The peepal tree grows naturally across the Indian subcontinent, including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and extends into parts of Southeast Asia and south-western China. It is a tree of warm, tropical and subtropical climates and thrives in the plains and lower hills up to moderate elevations.
Within India, the peepal tree is found from the Himalayan foothills to the southern peninsula, in forests, farmland borders, temple precincts and city streets. It tolerates a range of soils and rainfall patterns, though it does not withstand hard frost and grows best where water is reasonably available. Because of its religious importance, people have planted and protected it far beyond its natural forest habitat, and it has also been introduced to other warm regions of the world.
What is the peepal tree called in different Indian languages?
The peepal tree has a distinct name in nearly every major Indian language, which reflects how deeply it is embedded in the country’s culture. The table below lists some commonly used names.
| Language | Common name |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit | Ashvattha |
| Hindi | Peepal (Pipal) |
| Marathi | Pimpal |
| Bengali | Ashwattha |
| Tamil | Arasu (Arasamaram) |
| Telugu | Raavi chettu |
| Kannada | Arali mara |
| Malayalam | Arayal |
Why is the peepal tree sacred in Hinduism?
The peepal tree is sacred in Hinduism because ancient texts identify it, under the name ashvattha, with the divine and treat it as a symbol of life, knowledge and the cosmos. In the Bhagavad Gita (chapter 10), Krishna lists himself among the best of each kind of thing and names the ashvattha as the foremost of trees.
The Gita (chapter 15) also uses the image of an inverted ashvattha, with roots above and branches below, as a metaphor for the material world and the way a seeker must cut through attachment. Earlier Vedic and Upanishadic writings likewise mention the ashvattha as a tree of significance.
Worship and customs
Devotees commonly worship the peepal tree by circumambulating it (pradakshina), offering water at its base, lighting lamps and tying sacred threads around the trunk. Many Hindus associate the tree with Vishnu, and traditions in several regions also link prayers at the peepal on Saturdays or on the new-moon day (amavasya) with ancestors and with Shani. Practices vary by region, community and family tradition.
Because the tree is considered sacred, many families avoid cutting a healthy peepal. This custom has, in practice, helped many large and old trees survive in towns and villages.
What is the Bodhi tree and why does it matter to Buddhism?
The Bodhi tree is the peepal tree under which Siddhartha Gautama is traditionally said to have meditated and attained enlightenment, becoming the Buddha, at Bodh Gaya in Bihar. The word bodhi means “awakening” or “enlightenment”, and the tree is one of the most important symbols in Buddhism.
The site is now home to the Mahabodhi Temple Complex, which was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002. A tree stands there today that is regarded as a descendant of the original, and pilgrims from across the Buddhist world visit Bodh Gaya, especially around Buddha Purnima.
The Sri Maha Bodhi in Sri Lanka
According to Sri Lankan chronicles, a cutting from the Bodh Gaya tree was carried to Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka in the third century BCE by Sanghamitta, a Buddhist nun traditionally described as the daughter of the emperor Ashoka. The tree known as the Sri Maha Bodhi, planted there, is frequently described as the oldest tree in the world with a known planting date, and it is still venerated today.
Is the peepal tree sacred to Jains and other traditions?
The peepal tree is respected in Jain tradition, though its role there is less central than in Hinduism or Buddhism. Jain teaching emphasises non-violence toward all living things, including plants, and many Jain texts associate each of the twenty-four tirthankaras with a particular tree linked to their attainment of omniscience; the specific lists differ between sources.
More broadly, the peepal tree plays a social role that crosses religious lines. In many Indian villages, a platform (chabutra or katta) around an old peepal serves as the place where elders meet, panchayats gather and travellers rest, regardless of the faiths of those who use it.
Why is the peepal tree called a keystone species?
The peepal tree is considered a keystone species because its figs provide food for a very wide range of animals, often during seasons when other fruit is scarce. Figs of Ficus species are among the most important year-round fruit resources in tropical forests, and the peepal contributes to that role in India.
Birds such as barbets, bulbuls, mynas, parakeets, hornbills and pigeons feed on peepal figs, as do fruit bats, langurs, macaques, squirrels and other mammals. Many of these animals then spread the seeds in their droppings, helping the tree to establish itself in new places.
The fig wasp partnership
The peepal tree depends on a tiny wasp for pollination. Each fig species typically has its own specialised pollinator wasp, and the peepal’s partner is a species of fig wasp of the genus Blastophaga. Female wasps enter the young fig to lay eggs and carry pollen between trees, a close mutual relationship that has evolved over millions of years.
The partnership means the peepal tree has no dependence on bees or butterflies for reproduction. It also explains why peepal seedlings are so often found in unusual spots, since seeds deposited by birds can sprout in cracks in walls, on rooftops or in the forks of other trees.
Does the peepal tree really give out oxygen at night?
No, the peepal tree does not give out oxygen throughout the night; the widely repeated claim that it releases oxygen for 24 hours is not supported by mainstream plant physiology. Like nearly all trees, the peepal takes in carbon dioxide and releases oxygen mainly during the day, when light drives photosynthesis.
The idea is often linked to CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism), a special form of photosynthesis in which plants open their pores (stomata) at night to take in carbon dioxide. CAM is well documented in desert succulents such as cacti and agaves, but the peepal tree is generally regarded as a conventional C3 plant that opens its stomata by day. At night, the peepal, like other plants, respires and uses a little oxygen.
None of this makes the tree unimportant for air quality. A large, leafy peepal casts cooling shade, takes up carbon dioxide during the day and can help trap dust on its leaves. These are genuine benefits; they simply do not require the unproven nighttime oxygen claim.
How long does a peepal tree live?
A peepal tree can live for several centuries, and exceptional individuals are believed to have lived well over a thousand years. The Sri Maha Bodhi in Sri Lanka, traditionally planted in the third century BCE, is more than 2,200 years old if the chronicle dates are accepted.
Several features help the species last so long. It heals damage well, can regrow from broken branches, and develops extensive roots that anchor the tree and reach deep water. Its longevity is also partly a result of human protection: because cutting the tree is widely discouraged, many peepals survive in places where other trees would have been felled.
What are the traditional uses of the peepal tree?
The peepal tree has been used traditionally for fodder, religious rituals and in folk and Ayurvedic medicine, though its timber is of limited value. The leaves and young shoots are lopped as fodder for cattle, goats and, in some regions, elephants, and the tree is also a host for the lac insect in some areas.
- Religious use: leaves, twigs and the shade of the tree feature in many puja customs, and the leaves are sometimes used in decoration and offerings.
- Traditional medicine: Ayurveda and folk systems describe uses of the bark, leaves and fruit for a range of ailments. Laboratory studies on peepal extracts continue, but such uses are traditional, and the tree should not be treated as a substitute for medical care.
- Shade and community life: the broad canopy provides cool resting places for people, livestock and wildlife during hot summers.
- Wood: the wood is soft and not durable, so it is used mainly as fuel or for light purposes rather than as quality timber.
Why do peepal trees grow on walls and buildings, and how should they be managed?
Peepal trees grow on walls and buildings because their tiny seeds, carried by birds and bats, can germinate in the slightest crack where moisture and a little dust collect. The young plant then sends roots into the masonry in search of water.
As the roots thicken, they can widen cracks and damage old walls, temples, forts and monuments, which is a recognised concern for heritage conservation across India. Conservators usually remove seedlings early, since pulling a small plant is far easier than dealing with a mature root system embedded in stone.
For planting, it is best to place a peepal tree where it has plenty of room, away from buildings, pipelines and boundary walls. Where a large tree already stands in a congested area, local rules and tree authorities generally govern pruning or removal, and religious sentiment is usually considered alongside safety.
Bottom Line
The peepal tree is a long-lived sacred fig, Ficus religiosa, valued in India for its shade, its central place in Hindu and Buddhist tradition and its role as a keystone food source for wildlife. Its sacredness and its ecology are well established, while the claim that it produces oxygen all night is a popular myth rather than a documented fact.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the scientific name of the peepal tree?
The scientific name of the peepal tree is Ficus religiosa. It belongs to the fig family Moraceae and is also known as the sacred fig, pipal, bo tree and ashvattha.
Why is the peepal tree called the Bodhi tree?
The peepal tree is called the Bodhi tree because Siddhartha Gautama is traditionally said to have attained enlightenment, or bodhi, while meditating beneath one at Bodh Gaya in Bihar. The word bodhi means awakening. A tree at the Mahabodhi Temple Complex is regarded as a descendant of the original.
Does the peepal tree give oxygen 24 hours a day?
No, the peepal tree does not give out oxygen for 24 hours a day. Like most trees, it releases oxygen mainly in daylight through photosynthesis and respires at night, and it is generally regarded as a C3 plant rather than a night-time CAM plant.
Why is the peepal tree worshipped in India?
The peepal tree is worshipped in India because Hindu texts such as the Bhagavad Gita identify the ashvattha with the divine, and because it is the Bodhi tree of Buddhism. Devotees offer water, light lamps and walk around the tree, and the custom of protecting it has helped many old trees survive.
How long does a peepal tree live?
A peepal tree can live for several hundred years, and some individuals are believed to live for more than a thousand. The Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, traditionally planted in the third century BCE, is often cited as the oldest tree with a known planting date.
How do you tell a peepal tree from a banyan tree?
A peepal tree has heart-shaped leaves with a long, narrow tip and does not usually form prop roots, while a banyan has stiff, oval leaves and drops aerial roots that become extra trunks. The banyan is also India’s national tree, whereas the peepal is not.
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