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altadenamara

Bodhi tree plant ?(ficus religiosa)

altadenamara
17 years ago

Does anyone know where I could find a small ficus religiosa, or peepul tree? Do they make good houseplants? A friend of mine is a Buddhist, and it would be nice to give her one for a present. The Bodhi tree that the Buddha found enlightenment under was supposed to be a ficus religiosa. EBay lists some ficus religiosa seeds, but the pictures of the plants show ones with more of a diamond shaped leaf with ruffled sides. The Indian information websites show ficus religiosa with a clearly heart shaped leaf and smoother sides.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bodhi Tree Garden

Comments (34)

  • lucy
    17 years ago

    Most people I know grow them from seed (they're not native, after all), which is fast and easy, but they do need proper care - lots of light all day, high humidity and fast drainage but not as much so as e.g. a pine or maple. They are trees, if tropical, so need knowledgable care (not necessarily babying), and shouldn't be watered as a houseplant to a schedule or kept in a dim, stuffy, dry room, or on the TV, etc.

  • nanw_4wi
    17 years ago

    There's a company in Canada that sells it and ships worldwide.

    A thoughtful gift!
    Wishing you and your friend success.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Flora Exotica

  • altadenamara
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks for your responses. Only one of the trees shown on the website at Flora Exotica has the heart shaped leaves. The others have the diamond shaped leaves. I wonder if the same plant could have both types of leaves?

  • nanw_4wi
    17 years ago

    I'm wondering if they have different shaped leaves in their mature form than in their juvenile form, as many plants do?

  • nicholiarelius
    17 years ago

    I've been looking for a seedling as well. That site that you linked to nanwi was great, but has a 35 dollar order minimum (before shipping) and I don't have that much at my disposal for bonsai right now. I just want one 10 dollar bo seedling.

    Do you know (or anyone else know) any other places that sell bo/bodhi/peepal/ficus religiosa seedlings?

  • subtropix
    17 years ago

    I forgot where I got mine from. Got it mail order and have had it a couple of years already, so they are able to be kept as house plants. It the warm season (depending on your location), I would suggest you keep it outdoors. Indoors, overwinter, they seem to have a tendency to either get very leggy or defoliate. If they loose all their leaves, however, don't fear. They will burst out into growth in the spring. Kind of easy to grow but winter appearance is disappointing.

  • altadenamara
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    IâÂÂve ordered two plants from the Glass House Works website. Their first picture shows a good ficus religiosa with the classic heart shaped leaves. The next two pictures show plants with the triangular leaves. The person answering my email insisted they were all the same plant. TheyâÂÂre only $8.50 each, plus shipping, so worth a gamble.
    A nearby nursery in Pasadena, CA, has an ugly, 4â stick of a plant in a two gallon pot for $85. Not in the budget right now. They also have a large, 15 gallon plant; tall and graceful, with sweeping branches, mislabeled âÂÂheliconia sp.âÂÂ, which must be really expensive.
    Flora Exotica says itâÂÂs too cold to ship now, where they are, but Glass House Works says they will ship now if itâÂÂs not too cold.

    Here is a link that might be useful: ficus religiosa

  • nicholiarelius
    17 years ago

    Just ordered one from that Glass House Works website. Cost 18:25 total doing the Air shipping. I didn't want to do ground because I want it to be in the box for the shortest amount of time possible. I wish places around here sold ficus religiosa, but most of the places around here only sell native trees, not much tropical/exotic variety.

    I'm pretty excited. I'm a buddhist myself, and to have a bo tree in my home will be pretty inspirational. I'm going to turn this one into a bonsai. Will be fun. Anyways, thanks soooo much for the site.

  • altadenamara
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    My two Bodhi trees from Glass House Works arrived in great condition by FedEx the same week as when I ordered them, one for me and one for my friend. The plants were well packed, a good number of small plants per pot, the soil moist, and the leaves are heart shaped like the ones shown on the website in India. It was even possible to trace their progress across the country on FedExÂs website. The representative from Glass House Works emailed that the seeds were from India. He said that ficus religiosa plants always rests in the winter and refuse to put much growth out, but they should start growing actively again when the days become longer. What a treat to have the Bodhi trees come to me, if I canÂt go meditate under the Bodhi tree in India. As you said nicholiarelius, inspirational.

  • nanw_4wi
    17 years ago

    So glad to hear that you found what you were seeking...and sounds like you got great service!

  • mrbrownthumb
    17 years ago

    Something to keep in minds.

    If you're looking for different ficus trees don't forget to check out places that sell "indoor" bonsai. When I worked in a bonsai nursery we carried at least 6 kinds of Ficus and they were the varieties I've not seen available in retail since.

    Specialty shops can be a good place to buy something that everyone else won't have and the prices aren't very high if you buy something that hasn't been potted in a bonsai container.

    Just a thought.

  • plantastic
    17 years ago

    I bought one from Richter's catalogue in Ontario.It is still alive after several years but does look pathetic in winter, most of the leaves drop off. Then when the light/heat increases it gets more leaves and SPIDER MITES..also I had bought seeds from some seed catalogue, might have been Chilterns seed from the UK, 3 germinated, I gave one away and the other 2 died. Much more sensitive to indoor living than my other ficuses (fici?).

  • evonnestoryteller
    16 years ago

    I just purchased one little tree and received it from Glass House Works in Ohio. It is nice and perky! What I don't understand is how to water it from this message string:

    ...shouldn't be watered as a houseplant to a schedule.

    Does anyone know how this plant should be watered?

  • subtropix
    16 years ago

    Water it regularly during the warmer months when it's in active growth. (I keep mine outside in full or part sun in the growing season.) Difficult to say how often to water, but in a warm location and growing actively it might need watering anywhere from once a day to twice a week (also depends on the SIZE of the container). In the winter, they tend to go at least semi-dormant even in a frost-free environment (will loose a lot of leaves--maybe all). Don't assume they are dead even if ALL the leaves drop off. Reduce water to a minimum and it should comeback in the spring.

  • evonnestoryteller
    16 years ago

    Thank you!

    When the plant goes dormant, can I store it in a cool dry place with other plants that are dormant for the winter? I keep some down the cellar, water them a little, and bring them up when it is time to plant them again.

  • subtropix
    16 years ago

    I would bet that it would make it--they are that tough. Water VERY infrequently down there. You shouldn't have to replant in the spring. Just bring it up, pick up the temps, provide sun and water (infrequently at first). Will start regrowing quickly enough. I do not threat my other Ficus like this but regiliosa is less than attractive outside of the growing season (at least that has been my experience with it).

  • evonnestoryteller
    16 years ago

    They are so beautiful when they are large trees! It is too bad that they sound difficult as a house plant.

  • subtropix
    16 years ago

    Who said that they're difficult?? They're easy! Just that they want to rest in the winter and don't look their best--who does?!

  • birdsnblooms
    16 years ago

    Oh Ficus Rel is one of my favorite ficus..Who said they're difficult? Actually I think they're easier to grow than F. benji.
    I started one from seed yrs ago..it was a beauty..had it for yrs, but somewhere along the line it died, but it was my fault I'm sure..And when I think back, I don't recall it looking bad during winter months..
    It went dormant, but other than that leaves were healthy..Does anyone know where this plant is sold? I wouldn't mind another..Thanks..Toni

  • tomslick
    16 years ago

    What type or mixture of soil are you folks using?

  • david_chiou_gmail_com
    16 years ago

    I put together some cultivation tips about bodhi tree, as well as information of branches of the bodhi tree, on this page:
    http://cbs.ntu.edu.tw/bodhitree/en/cultivation.php
    Hope it can be helpful.

    Here is a link that might be useful: The Bodhi Tree Network

  • lucy
    16 years ago

    So will this one - www.bonsaihunk.us/cultural.html - that's Jerry Meislik's site, and he's the #1 expert on ficus bonsai out there, and knows everything about growing Ficus of every kind (see halfway down the first page for specifics). He has lots of info. on indoor lighting, watering, soil, styling techniques and more, and should answer any of your questions if you write to him.

  • jeromevernet
    15 years ago

    Hi folks, I live in central florida, zone 9\10 and would like to buy a bodhi tree and plant it in my garden. Do you think it will do well out of doors year round?

  • jredblue_gmail_com
    13 years ago

    Hi!
    eGardenSeed.com sells Bo tree seed packs. A LOT of seeds come in the pack so if you're not a great gardener you should still be able to have success! :)

    Here is a link that might be useful: eGardenSeed.com

  • halemalu_retreat
    13 years ago

    I have a Bodhi that I planted in March 2010. It was a single straight trunk about 2 feet tall. Now in November 2010 it is about 7 feet tall and still a single straight trunk. Do I need to top this Bodhi so that it will start to branch? Or should I just let it do it's own thing and let it branch naturally? Any suggestions would be great!

    Thanks!

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    13 years ago

    A good rule of thumb is to make a pruning cut on the main stem at 2/3 of the height at which you would like to maintain the tree. The canopy will fill in the other 1/3 of the height.

    Al

    Here is a link that might be useful: More on Ficus in containers

  • halemalu_retreat
    13 years ago

    Tapla,

    Thanks for the info but this Bodhi is not in a pot. It is planted outdoors in front of my Retreat Center as a main focal point. I'm looking for it to grow full size 50+ feet. It is growing almost a foot per month and right now it is just a single stem straight up. I'm concerned when it will start to branch by itself or if I need to top it to force branching.

    Any one have any idea?

    Let me know. Thanks!

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    13 years ago

    Of course it will start to branch when it's ready - all trees begin to branch when they start producing more energy than the growth rate of the main stem (and roots) will allow it to use.

    Think of water being poured into a funnel as the energy the tree is producing (leaves/photosynthesis). As the volume of water being poured into the funnel increases, at some point the funnel will overflow. It's the same with the tree's energy allocation.

    You can speed this process along by tampering with hormonal flow. Removing the growing tip (apical meristem) truncates any branch and forces the tree to activate dormant buds (usually in leaf axils (crotches) behind the pruning cut.

    Al

  • ratan
    13 years ago

    Hi guys,
    I live in India, its a pretty common tree in this part of the world, If any of you need help regarding this particular species I would be happy to help. I have two of them and both are the direct descendants of the same Bodhi tree under which Gautam Buddha got enlightened.

  • alammo
    12 years ago

    this company sells great bodhi trees...in dallas texas...

    Here is a link that might be useful: bodhi tree nursery

  • rz65j8
    12 years ago

    Hi Ratan,
    I live in NC of US, and I am a buddhist. I have also been looking into getting a ficus religiosa and would love a decendant from the Bodhi tree Gautam Buddha was enlightened under. If you have any seeds from your trees and are able spare them to the US, it would be very much appreciated. Please also advice if there is anything you would like that i can send.
    Jointed palms

  • birdsnblooms
    12 years ago

    Grace and RZ. This is an old thread. Ratan may or may not visit this thread any longer..

    There's a seller on Ebay, Wellspring100, who sells F religiosa plugs, under 5.00. I checked. He's out of Ficus, but will probably have more now that spring is nearing.

    Grace, unfortunately, Wellspring doesn't ship internationally, sorry.

    Alammo posted a nursery that sells Ficus religiosas...they come in 4" pots.

    An Ebay seller in Thailand has a variegated F. religiosa for 35.00..I'd love getting my hands on this plant, but way past my budget, lol. Toni

  • subtropix
    12 years ago

    Like most all Ficus, they are easy enough to grow. So that if you do get one, it'll be around for a while. Just keep in mind, it is quite deciduous in the Winter/dry season. Mine always looks dead in the Winter and then always leafs out in the Spring w.o.. any problems.