Family: Moraceae

Ficus religiosa, commonly known as the bo tree, peepul tree, or Bodhi tree, is a large, deciduous fig native to the Indian subcontinent. It is well-known for its distinctive heart-shaped leaves with elongated tips and its cultural and religious significance in Buddhism and Hinduism, as the tree under which Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment. In Hawai‘i, Ficus religiosa has become naturalized on O‘ahu, Maui, and Hawai‘i Island, where it grows in a variety of habitats, often along roadsides, in gardens, and near older cultural sites.

Despite its revered ornamental and cultural status, Ficus religiosa presents a practical challenge through its aggressive root systems, which can disrupt infrastructure and suppress surrounding vegetation. While not considered a major invasive threat in Hawaiʻi at present, its potential to naturalize warrants caution. Proactive monitoring by gardeners and land managers is essential to curb its spread, especially in ecologically sensitive areas bordering native forests.

High Risk Traits:

• Broad climate suitability and environmental tolerance
  
• History of repeated introductions worldwide
  
• Naturalized in multiple regions (Florida, Israel, Hawaii)
  
• Weedy congener species (other Ficus are invasive)
  
• Epiphytic growth habit (can grow on structures/other plants)
  
• Bird-dispersed seeds
  
• Persistent soil seed bank
  
• Resprouts after damage/cutting

Low Risk Traits:

• Not currently documented as a weed
  
• No spines/thorns/burrs
  
• Palatable fodder, non-toxic to animals
  
• Not a major pest host
  
• Non-toxic to humans
  
• Low fire risk
  
• No vegetative reproduction
  
• Requires specific pollinator wasp for reproduction