#Ficusbenjamina

The graceful, trailing roots and glossy green leaves of Ficus benjamina—known to generations of Thais as ไทรย้อย or the weeping fig—have long played a role in the spiritual, ecological, and medicinal landscapes of Thailand. Amid the lush chaos of urban and rural Thailand, ไทรย้อย stands as both a symbol of serenity and a quiet reservoir of traditional healing knowledge. Today, a surge of scientific inquiry is illuminating the plant’s potent bioactive compounds, validating some age-old practices, and pointing toward future medical opportunities.

Ficus benjamina, known to Thais as ไทรย้อย or the weeping fig, has long anchored spiritual, ecological, and medicinal practices across Thailand. In busy cities and quiet villages alike, ไทรย้อย symbolizes shelter and continuity—yet it also serves as a practical reservoir of traditional healing knowledge. Now, modern science is exploring its bioactive compounds, validating some old uses and guiding future medical opportunities.

Across temple courtyards, riverbanks, and home gardens, the weeping fig remains a familiar sight. Thai herbalists often harvest its aerial roots—the plant’s cascading threads—alongside bark and leaves for remedies handed down through generations. The plant’s revered status blends spiritual respect with practical health applications, reflecting Thailand’s botanical heritage and its official adoption as Bangkok’s city tree. Throughout the country, communities continue to rely on ไทรย้อย as part of an integrated healing toolkit, alongside contemporary medicine.