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Heritage Trees of Singapore
CentralBodhi Tree2007

Bodhi Tree (HT 2007-156)

This Heritage Tree can be found on the open slope along Canterbury Road, near Lamp Post 18.

A large tree with green and slightly brownish leaves stands on a grassy slope under a cloudy sky.
Overall shot of Heritage Tree (📷: Heritage Tree Secretariat)

Heritage Tree Information

Unique ID
HT 2007-156

Scientific name: Ficus religiosa
Family name: Moraceae
Girth: 8.32 m @ 1.3 m height
Height: 19.2 m

Location
Open slope along Canterbury Road, Lamp Post 18 (View Map) (opens in new tab)

The Bodhi Tree is a large, fast growing deciduous tree that can reach up to 25 m to 35 m in height. It has a large and wide-spreading crown with light-grey bark. Its figs are purple in colour. White latex is present in all such parts: the simple, long-stalked leaves, which are heart-shaped and long tipped; and the new flush of leaves which are purple, turning fresh green, then yellowish green. The flowers are tiny and found inside the small fleshy figs, which ripen to greenish-yellow, then purple. There are three kinds of flowers: male, female and sterile.

The Bodhi Tree originated from Pakistan, Southern China, Northern Thailand to Vietnam. The figs are a food source for birds, with the seeds being distributed by them. The saplings often develop on a branch of a host tree, on old, neglected buildings, crevices of walls, roadside kerbs etc. indicating that the tiny seeds are dispersed freely and germinate well. The seedlings grow very fast in Singapore when left undisturbed.

So it is named, the Bodhi Tree is associated with religion and is regarded as sacred to Hindus and Buddhists. The Hindu god Vishnu was born under its shade and beneath this tree, the Buddha received his enlightenment. It is often planted in temples and other places for worship. Some of the trees grow for several centuries as recorded history reveals, evidently by means of its ability to supplement the ageing trunk with new shoots.

For more information on this species, please refer to NParks' Flora & Fauna Web profile. (opens in new tab)