Banyan Fig Tree

Indian banyan is a large evergreen fig with a broad, spreading crown and descending aerial roots. When those roots reach the soil they can thicken into supporting trunks, allowing one tree to occupy a very wide area. ## Landscape role Use it as a long-lived shade tree only where ample space can be reserved for the crown and root system. The National Park Board of Singapore describes it as a tropical tree that can reach about 30 m tall, while Kew notes that its canopy can continue spreading laterally. Paired red or orange figs provide food for birds, and a specialized fig wasp pollinates the flowers. ## Growing conditions This species is suited to tropical and subtropical climates. It grows in full sun, tolerates partial shade, and prefers well-drained soil; the North Carolina Extension profile lists USDA Zones 10a–12b. Give it a large, open planting area well away from buildings and paved infrastructure, because its roots and expanding trunks need room. ## Maintenance Keep new plantings watered as they establish, then avoid persistently saturated soil. Monitor foliage for common fig pests and keep paths and structures outside the tree’s expanding root zone. See the [National Parks Board profile](https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/2/8/2899), [Kew’s species profile](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:852482-1/general-information), and [North Carolina Extension’s plant profile](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ficus-benghalensis/common-name/indian-banyan-tree/) for botanical and landscape details.