Glossary: Fruits, Vegetables & Plants
Glossary Main Page | Trees in Himalayan ArtFruits, Vegetables & Plants Glossary:
Ashoka Tree: Marichi, Queen Mayadevi, both figures hold onto a branch of the ashoka tree.
Bilva Fruit: Eight Bringers of Good Fortune
Bodhi Tree: Shakyamuni Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, both are commonly depicted seated beneath a bodhi tree.
Citron Fruit: Jambhala, principally in the form of Pita Jambhala, he holds a citron fruit in the extended right hand.
Coconut (Skt. betapala): Chaturbhuja Mahakala, holding a coconut to the heart in lace of a curved knife or a human heart.
Durva Grass: Eight Bringers of Good Fortune
Flowers, Poisonous: Janguli, decorated with poisonous flowers.
Grain: Vasudhara, in a number of different forms she holds a sheaf of grain.
Hollyhock Flower: Black Manjushri, in some specialized forms o Manjushri he holds the hollyhock flower in the left hand.
Kusha Grass: commonly depicted as a seat for Indian teachers, siddhas and yogis.
Leaves & Fruit: Parnashavari, clad, decorated and attired with leaves and fruit.
Lotus Flower: Avalokiteshvara, Padmapani, Lotus Seat, a common hand attribute and seat for all types of deities.
Mustard Seeds: Eight Bringers of Good Fortune
Myrobalan (Latin: terminalia chebula. Skt.: haritaki): Medicine Buddha, Padmasambhava, Yutog Yontan Gonpo. A medicinal plant commonly held as a hand attribute by these figures.
Peach: Hvashang, often seen held in the right hand.
Radish: Ganapati, held in the right hand by several forms of Ganapati.
Rudraksha: the stone pit of a fruiting plant commonly dried and made into beads for prayer or decoration, held or worn on the body.
Sandalwood: Shakyamuni Buddha, Pagpa Lokeshvara. A number of famous early sculpture of Shakyamuni and Avalokiteshvara were made from sandalwood trees.
Sugar Sweets: Ganapati, often held in a bowl or plate in an upraised hand.
Tree of Long Life: Sage of Long Life
Utpala Flower, Blue: Green Tara, a common hand attribute for Tara, Manjushri and a number of other deities.
Utpala Flower, Red: Kurukulla, the common attribute of red Kurukulla.
Wish-fulfilling Tree: Avalokiteshvara, Field for the Accumulation of Merit (Refuge Field), a form of Avalokita is depicted beneath a tree and many of the Field for the Accumulation of Merit descriptions and paintings include a tree.
Yogurt: Eight Bringers of Good Fortune
Jeff Watt 7-2026
(The images below are only a selection of examples from the links above).
