Massive Indian subcontinent fig that drops aerial roots from horizontal branches to form pillar trunks, eventually creating an interconnected grove that can cover hectares from a single original tree.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 10–12 | −1.1 °C to 15.6 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H1c | 5 °C to 10 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 9 | −1 °C and warmer | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 5–7 | 5 °C and warmer | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
Growing notes
- Native to the Indian subcontinent — national tree of India
- Eventually massive — the Great Banyan at Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden covers 1.5 ha from a single tree; only suitable for very large gardens, parks, and avenues
- Sacred to Hindus — the canopy is associated with the trimurti gods Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva
- Frost-tender — strictly tropical to subtropical
- Not reliably hardy outdoors in Canada — Canadian zone values shown represent the system maximum and do not imply garden cultivation north of the warmest coastal pockets.
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Banyan against your zones