Peepul - Encyclopedia

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

PEEPUL, or Pipul (Ficus religiosa), the "sacred fig" tree of India, also called the Bo tree. It is not unlike the banyan, and is venerated both by the Buddhists of Ceylon and the Vaishnavite Hindus, who say that Vishnu was born beneath its shade. It is planted near temples and houses; its sap abounds in caoutchouc, and a good deal of lac is obtained from insects who feed upon the branches. The fruit is about the size of a walnut and is not much eaten.