40d:Tree

xTATTEREDx  · +FINE+  · *SUPERIOR*  · ≡EXCEPTIONAL≡  · ☼MASTERWORK☼

v50.14 · v0.47 · v0.34 · v0.31 · v0.28.181.40d · v0.23 This article is about an older version of DF. More Info · V

Trees can be found on almost any playable map. Depending whether trees are scarce or dense, they can be a great renewable source of wood. The density of growth is determined by the biome, and those are visible on the pre-embark screen by hitting F1, F2 etc. Density does not change - there are no climate shifts during game play.

There are many different varieties that grow in various different types of biomes. Tower-caps are trees (giant mushrooms, actually) that grow only underground, and are the only ones that do, and then only under special circumstances. The only difference between different types of trees is the (usually very minor) difference in the weight of the log or item produced - otherwise all trees are identical, equal in usefulness and value.*

(* Note that preferences can alter a dwarf's perception of the value of items made from a type of wood that they prefer.)

Viewed on their same z-level, many different sub-types of trees have their own symbol, such as ♣, ♠, ¶, ╞ or ⌠. Some share the same symbol, but since the only difference is for preferences, this is not a significant problem. (See table, below, for tree/symbol pairs.) For most purposes, a tree is a tree.

Trees viewed from one z-level higher look like coloured rectangles ( ■ ), appearing identical to coloured blocks floating in the air. Deciduous trees will change colour to red or yellow in autumn ( ♣, ♠ ), and lose their leaves in winter ( ╞ ). This does not affect their usefulness - they may be cut down in any season, and produce the same end result.

Trees are not a source of food or other material, so it is not possible to harvest mangos, maple syrup, nuts, rubber, etc.

Harvesting / Removing the barrier

Trees are a type of map tile that form a solid barrier, like stone or ore. Trees (but not saplings) will block movement, and prevent designation of channeling, walls and other constructions. Caravans are especially vulnerable to being blocked by trees, since they require a path 3-tiles wide. Trees do not form a floor on the level above them - creatures cannot walk "on top of" trees. However, a dwarf dropped on top of a tree will remain on top of (1 z-level above) it unless there is a neighboring surface on the same z-level for him to step off onto. Fired ammunition (arrows, bolts, &c.) will sometimes get 'stuck in a tree' in this fashion as well.

They must be designated for removal from the designations menu chop trees, which will instruct dwarves with the woodcutting labor enabled to grab an axe and begin chopping down the tree. Once cut down, they become one wood log, which is movable and can be hauled by enabling the Haul Wood labor on any dwarf and designating a wood stockpile.

Trees will not as of yet be destroyed by magma or fire (nor will water damage them in any way). Saplings can 'drown' in water and magma, though. Ballista arrows can destroy trees, but catapult stones will not.

Under certain circumstances items can wind up "on top" of trees (1 z-level above the tree). This occurs when an arrow reaches its maximum range above a tree and then falls onto it, an enemy (or part of one) flies onto the tree, or when any item is otherwise dropped directly above the tree. As dwarves cannot walk on trees, the only way to recover these items is to cut down the tree.

Trees and ramps

Digging a ramp underneath a tree will cause a cave-in - but the tree will be removed. The tree will not leave a log behind. This is not true of saplings.

Tree growth

Trees grow from saplings, which start growing randomly on tiles of a suitable biome. Saplings can be killed by heavy traffic, and also flooding. Dead saplings will remain for some seasons, and then disappear - or heavy traffic will trample them away. To grow from a sapling to a tree takes only 3 months and 16.8 days. Trees do not need to be (and can't be) "planted" - even if a map is stripped of all trees, new saplings will regrow, randomly and in their own time. Sadly, the elves do not seem to comprehend this.

Saplings will not grow to maturity if their tile contains an item or building (including stockpile designations), though removing the item may cause the tree to spontaneously grow up. Paved roads and farm plots periodically purge all terrain features below them, preventing trees (or shrubs) from growing in unwanted areas. Trees cannot grow on stairs or ramps, making it possible to keep trees out of your plumbing by using up stairs instead of digging (this does not reveal the tile above). Above-ground trees will only grow in areas where there is sufficient soil in a 3-tile radius beneath them (depending on the local vegetation density and the quantity of other plants nearby); Tower-caps work the same way, but they also benefit from muddy tiles in a 3-tile radius on the same Z-level.

A given area block has a limit of "things that can grow on it" - and trees and shrubs compete for this when that maximum is reached.* Removing shrubs will allow more trees (and shrubs) to be able to grow. A downside to removing these shrubberies is that most of the saplings in the area will be trampled in the process unless they are marked as low-traffic or restricted areas first, a slightly time-consuming process.

(*Tower-caps (and underground shrubs?), on levels below the first "above ground" level, do not seem to count toward this limit.)

Elven Diplomats

Elven diplomats eventually come to talk about the "tree situation" in your fort. Sometimes the diplomat will arrive and merely complain but most often the diplomat will want to set a limit to the number of trees butchered harvested to feed fuel your earth blighting death machines industry. This quota is based on all the logs you have in your stocks, no matter what the source. It doesn't matter if you have a Tower-cap farm or if you import all your wood; if you have any wood in your stocks, the treehuggers elves will complain.

In version 0.28.181.39a and earlier, trees gained names near elven settlements. It is unclear what effect this had on gameplay, if any at all.

List of Trees

Above-ground trees marked as "Wet" will only grow within 2 tiles of a natural River or Murky Pool, while those marked as "Dry" will only grow if there is no river/pool within that range.

Tree Name	Tile	Biome / Habitat	Alignment	Deciduous	Density (g/cm3)	"Likes them for their..."
Acacia	♣	Tropical Dry Broadleaf Forest Tropical Grassland Tropical Savanna Tropical Shrubland	All (Dry)	No	500	thorns
Alder	♣	Any Temperate Broadleaf Forest	All (Dry)	Yes	410	catkins autumn coloration
Ash	♠	Any Temperate Broadleaf Forest	All (Dry)		620	flying keys autumn coloration
Birch	♣	Any Temperate Broadleaf Forest	All (Dry)	Yes	670	catkins silver bark autumn coloration
Cacao tree	Γ	Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forest	All (Dry)	No	500	flowers
Candlenut	Γ	Any Tropical Forest	All (Dry)	No	500	nuts
Cedar	↨	Temperate Conifer Forest Tropical Conifer Forest	All (Dry)	No	380	majesty
Chestnut	♠	Any Temperate Broadleaf Forest	All (Dry)	Yes	500	smelly catkins spiny pods chestnuts autumn coloration
Feather tree	♣	Not Freezing	Good (Dry)	No	100	feathery leaves
Glumprong	┤	Not Freezing	Evil (Dry)	No	1200	living shadows
Highwood	¶	Not Freezing	Savage (Dry)	No	500	magnificence
Larch	↑	Taiga Forest Temperate Conifer Forest	All (Dry)	Yes	590	cones needles
Mango tree	Γ	Any Tropical Forest	All (Dry)	No	500	sweet-smelling flowers
Kapok	Γ	Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forest	All (Dry)	No	500	buttresses
Mahogany	♠	Any Tropical Forest	All (Dry)	No	600	loose inflorescences
Maple	♣	Temperate Broadleaf Forest Temperate Grassland Temperate Savanna Temperate Shrubland	All (Dry)	Yes	755	autumn coloration
Oak	♠	Any Temperate Broadleaf Forest	All (Dry)	Yes	700	acorns autumn coloration
Palm	Γ	Any Tropical	All (Dry)	No	500	leaves
Pine	↑	Taiga Forest Temperate Conifer Forest Tropical Conifer Forest	All (Dry)	No	560	cones needles
Rubber tree	Γ	Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forest	All (Dry)	No	500	branch shedding
Saguaro	╞	Any Desert	All (Dry)	No	500	amazing arms
Mangrove	♣	Mangrove Swamp	All (Wet)	No	500	roots
Tower-cap	♣	*Subterranean SPECIAL*	All	No	600	great size
Willow	⌠	Any Temperate Any Tropical Forest Tropical Grassland Tropical Savanna Tropical Shrubland Tropical Freshwater Swamp Tropical Saltwater Swamp Tropical Freshwater Marsh Tropical Saltwater Marsh	All (Wet)	No	420	sad appearance fluffy catkins

V · T · E Plants
Crops and shrubs Surface Blade weed • Bloated tuber • Fisher berry • Hide root • Kobold bulb • Longland grass • Muck root • Prickle berry • Rat weed • Rope reed • Sliver barb • Sun berry • Valley herb • Whip vine • Wild strawberry Subterranean Cave wheat • Dimple cup • Pig tail • Plump helmet • Quarry bush • Sweet pod
Trees Surface Acacia • Alder • Ash • Birch • Cacao tree • Candlenut • Cedar • Chestnut • Feather tree • Glumprong • Highwood • Kapok • Larch • Mahogany • Mango tree • Mangrove • Maple • Oak • Palm • Pine • Rubber tree • Saguaro • Willow Subterranean Tower-cap