| Origins | India, Nepal, and Pakistan. |
|---|---|
| Meanings of name | Once the Bodh Tree is mentioned, people will recall the Buddhist poem by the Sixth Ancestor of Zen (or Chan) Buddhism, Huineng, which goes: “Fundamentally there is no Bodhi-tree, nor stand of a mirror bright. Since all is void from the beginning, where can the dust alight?”. The Chinese word “Puti” (菩提) is a transliteration of the Sanskrit word “Bodhi”, which describes the Buddhist state of “enlightenment” or “awakenment”. According to legend, Gautama Buddha achieved “Bodhi” under this species, hence giving it the name “Bodhi Tree (菩提樹)” in Chinese. The species epithet in its scientific name “religiosa” means religious, referring to Buddhism. |
| Applications | The Bodh Tree is one of the sacred trees of Buddhism, commonly seen in Buddhist temples. It is also a common street tree and landscape tree, cultivated along South to Southeast Asia. In addition, the latex of this species can be processed into hard gum. Its bark can be used to treat toothache and stabilize teeth in both medicine of Sri Lanka and Traditional Chinese Medicine. |
| National Tree | The Bodh Tree is often mistaken for being the national tree of India, which is actually the Bengal Ficus (Ficus religiosa L.). |
| True and fake Bodh Tree | Leaf apex of the real “Bodh Tree” are comparatively longer caudate, which is comparable to ¼ to half of the length of leaf blade. Conversely, the leaf apex of the Mock Bodh Tree is relatively shorter. Meanwhile, the petiole of the Mock Bodh Tree is also shorter, about 6 to 8 cm, whereas the petiole of Bodh Tree is relatively slender and longer, about 6.5 to 13 cm. Both species are commonly seen in Buddhist Temples and in urban areas, but the Bodh Tree is more common overall. |
