How Many Years Can a Bodhi Tree Live? A Full Analysis of Its Lifespan

The Bodhi tree is a sacred tree. Legend has it that more than 2000 years ago, Buddha Shakyamuni attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, and China even gives it “national treasure”-level protection. So, how many years can a Bodhi tree live?

1. How many years can a Bodhi tree live?

The lifespan of the Bodhi tree is quite long. Living for several hundred years is no problem, and at most it can live as long as 3000 years. In the Balagezong eco-tourism scenic area in Shangri-La, Yunnan, there is a Bodhi tree over 3000 years old, standing against the mountain, with branches and leaves spreading out in all directions, and the entire trunk and branches seem to cling to the cliff face. Because the tree resembles a phoenix, it is known as the “Phoenix Bodhi Tree”.

2. What kind of tree species is the Bodhi tree?

The Bodhi tree is a large tree plant in the Moraceae family, Ficus genus, reaching 15-25 m tall, with a diameter at breast height of 30-50 cm, and when young it grows as an epiphyte on other trees; the bark is gray, and the twigs are grayish brown; the leaves are leathery, triangular-ovate, dark green on the surface and green on the underside, with entire or wavy margins; male flowers, gall flowers, and female flowers grow on the inner wall of the same fig, and the fig is spherical to oblate, turning red when mature.

3. How much does one Bodhi tree cost?

According to information provided by China's Miaomu Zhijia website, the Bodhi tree prices from the Longhai Chengxi Longmao Nursery Business Department are as follows: