The leaves of a bodhi tree have the shape of a sacred lotus bud and are suspended upside down, that is with the tip of the leaf pointing almost straight downwards. Because of this the leaves actually function as a ventilating fan, causing a downward breeze when the wind blows through the treetop's foliage, so cooling the spot underneath it.

It is supposed that this might have been a reason why Siddhartha chose to meditate under this particular tree. These leaves are depicted on the national flag of Sri Lanka (fig.).