Goolar (Ficus racemosa)
Moraceae · Ficus

Goolar / Cluster Fig

Ficus racemosa

Also known as Country Fig, Gular Fig

Tree
Habit
Tree
Found in India
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana & more
Flowering
Throughout the year

Plant Details

Scientific name
Ficus racemosa
Genus
Ficus
Family
Moraceae
Habit
Tree
Habitat
Semi-evergreen and deciduous forests, also in the plains
Habitat type
Forest
Distribution
India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, China to New Guinea, Australia
Found in India
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Kerala
Flowering & fruiting
Throughout the year
Conservation status
Not Evaluated (NE)

Leaf characters

Arrangement
Alternate
Simple type leaf character
Type
Simple
Entire margin leaf character
Margin
Entire
Pinnate venation leaf character
Venation
Pinnate

Recorded for Goolar.

Flower & fruit characters

Flower symmetry
Radial
Inflorescence
Catkin
Fruit
Drupe

Typical of the Moraceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.

Local Names

Hindi
गूलर Goolar,गूलर gular,उडुंबर udumbar
Nepali
गुलर Gular, डुम्री Dumri, डुम्री
Bengali
জগডুমুর
Tamil
அத்தி Atti, அத்தி
Telugu
Paidi, మేడి, అత్తి
Kannada
ಅತ್ತಿ Atti, ರುಮಡಿ Rumadi, ಅತ್ತಿಮರ
Malayalam
Atti, അത്തി
Marathi
Umber, उंबर, औदुंबर वृक्ष
Sanskrit
Udumbara
Gujarati
ઉંબરો

Goolar in India

The cluster fig, or gular, is a familiar riverbank and village tree across India — गूलर Goolar (Hindi), அத்தி Atti (Tamil), Paidi (Telugu), ಅತ್ತಿ Atti (Kannada), Atti (Malayalam), Umber (Marathi). Ficus racemosa is recorded throughout Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Kerala, often near water, and is the sacred udumbara of Indian tradition.

Uses

Unusually, its figs grow in dense clusters straight from the trunk and branches. The ripe figs are eaten and fed to livestock, and the bark and fruit have long-standing attributed uses in Ayurveda. The tree is revered in Hindu and Buddhist tradition.

How to Identify Goolar

A medium to large fig with a spreading crown and smooth greenish-grey bark. Its hallmark is cauliflory — rounded figs borne in bunches directly on the trunk and older branches rather than among the leaves, ripening orange-red. Like all figs it bleeds milky latex when cut.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cluster Fig called in different Indian languages?
गूलर Goolar (Hindi); அத்தி Atti (Tamil); Paidi (Telugu); ಅತ್ತಿ Atti (Kannada); Atti (Malayalam); Umber (Marathi); জগডুমুর (Bengali); ઉંબરો (Gujarati); Udumbara (Sanskrit).
Where do cluster figs grow on the tree?
Uniquely, the figs sprout in clusters directly from the trunk and main branches (cauliflory), not among the leaves — which is how the tree gets its name.
Is gular fruit edible?
Yes, the ripe figs are eaten and widely used as fodder, and the tree has attributed uses in Ayurveda — described for information, not medical advice.
Illustration representing the Moraceae family
Botanical family

Moraceae

Fig/Mulberry family

Goolar belongs to the Moraceae family.

The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.

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Sources: GBIF — Ficus racemosa (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · iNaturalist — Ficus racemosa (regional names, India observations) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Ficus racemosa (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)