Peepal Tree (Ficus religiosa): Where It Grows in India and How to Plant It
Ficus religiosa
The peepal, or sacred fig, is a long-lived shade tree that feeds birds and bats and is revered across India. Here is where it grows in India, how to plant it, how to care for it in its first three years, and why it needs plenty of space.
Varieties
We checked Kew's plant name list (WCVP), ICFRE's forestry tree variety releases of 2021 and 2026, IFGTB's tree improvement page and India's plant variety register (PPV&FRA), and none of them lists a named variety, clone or selection of peepal. Kew treats the two old names Ficus religiosa var. cordata and var. rhynchophylla as the same species, so they are not varieties.
Sources: Kew WCVP on GBIF: Ficus religiosa varieties (var. cordata Miq. and var. rhynchophylla Miq., both synonyms of Ficus religiosa L.) – GBIF / Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (WCVP); ICFRE-FRI news (3 Dec 2021): release of 22 high-yielding clones of neem, Calophyllum inophyllum, Eucalyptus hybrid, Dalbergia sissoo and Populus deltoides – ICFRE-Forest Research Institute, Dehradun; ICFRE-FRI news (2026): ICFRE approves release of 18 high-yielding varieties/clones of Casuarina, teak, kadamb, Melia dubia and Flemingia semialata – ICFRE-Forest Research Institute, Dehradun; IFGTB Genetics & Tree Improvement achievements (released clones of Casuarina and Eucalyptus) – ICFRE-Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Coimbatore; PPV&FRA list of plant variety registration certificates (tree, forest and plantation crops: cashew, coconut, tea, eucalyptus, casuarina, neem and others) – Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority, Government of India
This article was prepared with AI assistance. Please check important details against the sources shown in each section.
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