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For the Love of Ficus

Mark International Arbor Day with Ficus bengalensis, the national tree of India, commonly called the banyan tree.

The banyan spreads outward rather than growing upward. Its limbs grow feelers, which eventually form above-ground roots that look like trunks. Some of the largest banyan trees on record cover several acres and provide shade for entire villages!

In parts of India, the banyan tree is sacred. Its bark, roots, and branches symbolize three Hindu gods—Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva, respectively. According to Buddhist teachings, after the Buddha gained enlightenment, he sat beneath a banyan tree for seven days.

Peter Blume's painting captures these mystical ideas with his signature style. Although his work defies easy categorization, Blume is often regarded as a Magic Realist. Many of his works blend realistic details with unusual scale, flat colors, and surrealist overtones, producing a sense of mystery and wonder. In Banyan Tree, a figure nestles in the deep shade with sketchbook in hand. Perhaps the painting is a meditation on enlightenment and the creative process.

Pictured: Peter Blume, 1906 Russia–1992 USA, Banyan Tree, 1961, oil, 28 1/4 x 36 1/4 in., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.