In Buddhist texts, the uḍumbara flower is a symbol for extremely rare occurrences, since it is said to bloom once every three thousand years.

A flower that is said to bloom only once every eon.

A kind of flower that blooms so infrequently that it became a metaphor for rarity.

The mythological flower of the fig tree said to appear on rare occasions, such as the birth of a buddha. The actual fig tree flower is contained within the fruit. The flower also came to be portrayed as a kind of lotus.

Ficus glomerata.

Ficus glomerata; cluster fig.

The mythological flower of the fig tree, said to appear on rare occasions, such as the birth of a buddha. The actual fig tree flower is contained within the fruit.

The mythological flower of the fig tree, said to appear on rare occasions, such as the birth of a buddha. The actual fig tree flower is contained within the fruit.

The mythological flower of the fig tree, said to appear on rare occasions, such as the birth of a buddha. The actual fig tree flower is contained within the fruit.

Ficus glomerata.

Ficus Glomerata according to the Pandanus Database of Plants.

The mythological flower of the fig tree said to appear on rare occasions, such as the birth of a buddha. The actual fig tree flower is contained within the fruit. The flower also came to be portrayed as a kind of lotus.

In Buddhist texts, the udumbara flower is a symbol for extremely rare occurrences, since it is said to bloom once every three thousand years. It is often identified as the cluster fig (Ficus glomerata).