Explore the world's tallest and largest flowering forests
Explore the world's tallest and largest flowering forests

The Great Banyan

One of the very largest trees on Earth is the giant banyan planted in the Botanical Gardens of Howrah, just across the Hooghly River from Kolkata

Banyan, Ficus benghalensis
The Moraceae, the mulberry, fig family

Vita: 10/10  Gnarl: 10/10  Wildness: 2/10 Accessibility: 10/10   Sensitivity: 3/10 

 Country: West Bengal, India -- Whereabouts: In the Howrah Botanical Gardens near Kolkata

What we love about this tree:
One of the world's most spectacular examples of vegetation and also renowned across India as a natural landmark


If you are in Kolkata in the east of India, make sure to make the trip across the Hoohghly River to Howrah to discover the quiet green surroundings of the Indian Botanical Gardens. Planted in 1787 by British colonialists, it is now run by the Indian Botanical Survey and is a centre of expertise in an incredibly biodiverse region. It was measured via aerial photo in 2010 and has a crown spread of 199 metres, and covers 20,000 square metres.

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