This impressive tree is the Banyan, Ficus benghalensis. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and belongs to the fig family, Moraceae. In warm climates, it can become one of the most expansive trees in the landscape—not necessarily because it is the tallest, but because it can continue spreading outward across an enormous area.

Its most remarkable feature is the aerial roots hanging down from the branches. At first, they may look like thin ropes or vines. When one reaches the ground, however, it takes root, thickens and gradually develops into what appears to be another trunk. These supporting roots allow the branches to extend farther and farther from the original tree.

Over time, a single Banyan can therefore resemble an entire grove of trees, even though all those trunks may belong to one connected individual. The additional trunks support the broad, heavy canopy much like columns supporting the roof of a building.

The leaves are large, oval and leathery, with prominent veins. Like other members of the genus Ficus, the Banyan does not produce an ordinary flower that we can easily see. Its tiny flowers develop inside a hollow structure that eventually becomes the fig.

The small figs grow in pairs near the leaves. They begin green and become bright red when ripe. They are not the large edible figs commonly sold as fruit, but they provide food for birds and other wildlife, which can then disperse the seeds.

A Banyan may begin life in the branch or crevice of another tree. Its roots grow downward toward the soil while other roots and stems gradually surround the supporting tree. For that reason, it is sometimes described as a strangling fig.

The Banyan has also held great cultural and religious significance in South Asia. Its ability to spread, renew itself and appear to form new trunks has made it a symbol of longevity, shelter and enduring life.

When looking at this tree, the important thing to remember is that what appears to be a group of separate trees may actually be one living organism—continually creating its own supports as it expands across the landscape.