Seed

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v50.14 · v0.47.05 This article is about the current version of DF. Note that some content may still need to be updated. More Info · V

Looking for information on world generation seeds? See Advanced world generation.

For information on seed management, see How do I manage my seeds and crops?

Seeds are used in farming to grow crops. They can be stored in bags (100 seeds per bag), which can in turn be stored in barrels or pots (10 bags per barrel/pot). Different seeds generally can't be mixed within a bag, so storing seeds of 10 different types requires 10 (or more) different bags (though a bug does cause dwarves to combine seeds occasionally).

Seeds can be brought on embark or obtained by trading. They can also be produced from plants (acquired by plant gathering or growing the respective crops). When a plant is eaten or used in brewing, milling or plant processing, it leaves one or two plantable seeds (see below for details). The exceptions are valley herb, bloated tuber, kobold bulb, and muck root, which will not leave behind seeds after processing. Cooking plants in a kitchen never produces seeds.

Tree seeds cannot currently be planted, though a few varieties, such as macadamia nuts and walnuts, are edible or cookable.

However, presently dwarves will rather starve than eat a seed raw.

Seed List

Seed type	Graphic	Edible Raw	Cookable	Farmable	Vermin Edible	Oil Seed	Raws/Menu Order
Abaca seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	092
Acacia seeds		No	Yes	No	Yes	No	153
Acorns		Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	152
Alfalfa seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	009
Almonds		Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	119
Apple seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	120
Apricot pits		No	No	No	Yes	No	121
Artichoke seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	035
Asparagus seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	036
Avocado pits		No	No	No	Yes	No	103
Bambara groundnut		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	037
Banana seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	093
Barley seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	006
Bayberry seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	122
Beet seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	040
Bilberry seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	087
Bitter melon seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	041
Bitter orange seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	108
Bitter vetch seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	016
Blackberry seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	089
Blade weed seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	147
Bloated tuber seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	139
Blood amaranth seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	018
Blueberry seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	088
Broad bean		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	039
Buckwheat seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	007
Cabbage seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	042
Cacao beans		No	Yes	No	No	No	157
Candlenuts		No	Yes	No	Yes	No	155
Caper seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	043
Carambola seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	094
Carrot seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	044
Cashews		No	No	No	Yes	No	095
Cassava seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	045
Cave wheat seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	135
Celery seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	046
Cherry pits		No	No	No	Yes	No	123
Chestnuts		Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	154
Chickpea		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	047
Chicory seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	048
Citron seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	106
Coffee beans		No	No	No	No	No	096
Cotton seeds		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	031
Cowpea		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	049
Cranberry seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	086
Cucumber seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	050
Custard-apple seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	113
Date palm seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	114
Desert lime seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	111
Dimple cup spawn		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	146
Durian seeds		No	Yes	No	Yes	No	097
Eggplant seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	051
Elephant-head amaranth seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	021
Finger lime seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	109
Finger millet		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	024
Fisher berry seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	144
Flax seeds		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	028
Fonio		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	026
Foxtail millet		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	025
Garden cress seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	052
Garlic seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	053
Ginkgo seeds		Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	124
Grape seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	085
Guava seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	098
Hard wheat seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	004
Hazel nuts		Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	125
Hemp seeds		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	030
Hide root seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	148
Horned melon seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	054
Jute seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	029
Kaniwa seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	015
Kenaf seeds		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	033
Kumquat seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	112
Leek seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	055
Lentil		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	056
Lesser yam seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	080
Lettuce seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	057
Lime seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	104
Long yam seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	081
Longland grass seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	142
Lychee seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	115
Macadamia nuts		Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	116
Maize		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	013
Mango pits		No	No	No	Yes	No	156
Muck root seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	138
Mung bean		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	058
Muskmelon seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	059
Oats seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	008
Olive pits		No	No	No	Yes	No	117
Onion seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	060
Orange seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	107
Papaya seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	099
Papyrus sedge seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	034
Paradise nuts		No	No	No	Yes	No	100
Parsnip seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	061
Passion fruit seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	084
Peas		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	062
Peach pits		No	No	No	Yes	No	126
Peanuts		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	063
Pear seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	127
Pearl millet		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	022
Pecans		Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	128
Pendant amaranth seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	017
Pepper seeds		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	064
Persimmon seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	129
Pig tail seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	134
Pineapple seeds		No	No	Yes	Yes	No	091
Plum pits		No	No	No	Yes	No	130
Plump helmet spawn		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	133
Pomegranate seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	118
Pomelo seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	105
Potato seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	065
Prickle berry seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	140
Purple amaranth seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	019
Purple yam seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	082
Quinoa seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	014
Radish seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	066
Rambutan seeds		No	Yes	No	Yes	No	101
Ramie seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	032
Raspberry seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	090
Rat weed seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	143
Red beans		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	067
Red spinach seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	020
Rhubarb seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	068
Rice		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	012
Rock nuts		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	137
Rope reed seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	145
Round lime seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	110
Rye seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	010
Sand pear seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	131
Single-grain wheat seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	001
Sliver barb seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	149
Soft wheat seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	003
Sorghum seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	011
Soybean		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	069
Spelt seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	005
Spinach seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	070
Squash seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	071
Strawberry seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	141
String bean		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	038
Sun berry seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	150
Sweet pod seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	136
Sweet potato seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	072
Taro seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	073
Tea seeds		No	No	No	Yes	No	102
Teff		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	027
Tomatillo seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	075
Tomato seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	074
Turnip seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	076
Two-grain wheat seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	002
Urad beans		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	077
Walnuts		Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	132
Watermelon seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	078
Whip vine seeds		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	151
White millet		No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	023
White yam seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	083
Winter melon seeds		No	No	Yes	No	No	079

Seed Production

Seeds are produced by brewing (at a still), milling (at a millstone or quern), processing (at a farmer's workshop), or by dwarves eating the plants raw (uncooked). For information on where to grow, gather, or process specific plants, consult the specific plant's page or the general crops page.

In order to prevent your fortress becoming cluttered with millions of seeds, there is a cap of 200 seeds for each plant type and a global cap of 3000 seeds. Seed-producing activities will only produce seeds if your fortress contains fewer than 200 seeds of that type. You can exceed the 200 seed cap by buying seeds from caravans, and seed production will restart when your stocks fall below 200. Seed production is not affected by the global cap; rather, the oldest seeds in the fortress will be periodically removed to remain at or around 3000. Note that this removal may affect "strategic seed stockpiles" (i.e. seeds forbidden for use in case of typical dwarven culinary stupidity), any crops that you grow only occasionally, and potentially any crops which have been prevented from producing seeds by the specific type cap. Both of these limits can be modified in the d_init.txt file.

Note: In case you are confused about getting spam of messages like "Urist McFarmer cancels Plant seeds: Needs [seed name]", while you are sure that you have enough seeds, no burrow restrictions or closed doors, the reason for this is most likely: the haulers see a seed somewhere and take the whole seed bag from stockpile to go pick it up, making the farmer cancel his job. The problem is exacerbated when barrels are used on the seed stockpile, because the dwarves will additionally store the seed bags inside barrels, blocking even more seeds during each hauling job and extending hauling jobs by first bringing the seed bag to the seed, then returning to the stockpile, picking up the barrel to bring it to the bag, storing the bag in the barrel and only then bringing the barrel bag to the stockpile. During all this time, the seed barrel and all its contents will be blocked from access by any other job.

You can simply disallow barrels from the stockpile, which requires a somewhat larger stockpile but makes seed collection jobs much shorter and less disruptive. Bags will always be used to store seeds in stockpiles, you cannot forbid that.

Another way to deal with this problem is this: set up 2 seed stockpiles, with the larger (primary) one set to only accept items from links (a). Set the secondary (smaller) pile to take from anywhere and give to the main stockpile. Now, when a seed shows up in your dining room or brewery, the dwarves should try to put it into the secondary pile first, which shouldn't have anything in it for long (so no bag for world tour). Once the seed arrives in the secondary stockpile, a new job will be created, moving the seed over into the main stockpile. Now the bag will be picked up to move that seed into it, but if the piles are next to each other it should only be in transit for a few seconds reducing the likelihood of cancellation spam.

As a workaround, you can finally make use of the peculiarities of stockpile commands: setting a stockpile to "take" from a mill, still or farmer's workshop will prevent the workshop from sending its products to any other stockpile. If the stockpile in question doesn't accept seeds, all seeds produced by the workshop will stay in the building, readily accessible to farmers. This can be handy if the workshop is directly adjacent to the farm plot, but can cause cluttering of the workshop if other products like barrels of booze aren't moved out of the shop regularly.

"Seed" in other Languages Dwarven: lenod Elven: are Goblin: ösmosp Human: ase

Bugs

• Dwarves compulsively store seeds in bags.^Bug:7869
• Planted seeds removed from field by seed cap.^Bug:8107
• Seeds carried by merchants count against fortress seed cap.^Bug:8108
• Conflict between the two seed caps can remove an entire type of seed.^Bug:8091
• Dye stored in barrels without bags.^Bug:9219 This bug is believed to apply to seeds as well, based on the 01/19/2016 dev-log note: "stop dumping dye/flour/seed/etc. bags out into barrels improperly".

Some seeds are edible, either raw or cooked.

Raws

[MATERIAL_TEMPLATE:SEED_TEMPLATE] [STATE_COLOR:ALL_SOLID:BROWN] [STATE_NAME:ALL_SOLID:seed] [STATE_ADJ:ALL_SOLID:seed] [STATE_COLOR:LIQUID:BROWN] [STATE_NAME:LIQUID:none] [STATE_ADJ:LIQUID:none] [STATE_COLOR:GAS:BROWN] [STATE_NAME:GAS:none] [STATE_ADJ:GAS:none] [DISPLAY_COLOR:6:0:0] [MATERIAL_VALUE:1] [SPEC_HEAT:800] [IGNITE_POINT:10400] [MELTING_POINT:NONE] [BOILING_POINT:NONE] [HEATDAM_POINT:10500] [COLDDAM_POINT:9900] [MAT_FIXED_TEMP:NONE] [SOLID_DENSITY:600] [LIQUID_DENSITY:NONE] [MOLAR_MASS:NONE] [IMPACT_YIELD:10000] [IMPACT_FRACTURE:10000] [IMPACT_STRAIN_AT_YIELD:1000] [COMPRESSIVE_YIELD:10000] [COMPRESSIVE_FRACTURE:10000] [COMPRESSIVE_STRAIN_AT_YIELD:1000] [TENSILE_YIELD:10000] [TENSILE_FRACTURE:10000] [TENSILE_STRAIN_AT_YIELD:1000] [TORSION_YIELD:10000] [TORSION_FRACTURE:10000] [TORSION_STRAIN_AT_YIELD:1000] [SHEAR_YIELD:40000] used pine [SHEAR_FRACTURE:40000] [SHEAR_STRAIN_AT_YIELD:1000] [BENDING_YIELD:10000] [BENDING_FRACTURE:10000] [BENDING_STRAIN_AT_YIELD:1000] [MAX_EDGE:1000] [ABSORPTION:100] [SEED_MAT] [DO_NOT_CLEAN_GLOB]

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Creature	Blood • Bone • Cartilage • Cheese • Chitin • Egg • Fat • Feather • Hair (Wool • Yarn) • Hoof • Horn • Ichor • Leather • Milk • Meat • Nail • Nervous tissue • Organs • Parchment • Pearl • Scale • Shell • Silk • Skin • Spit • Sweat • Tallow • Tears • Tooth • Wax
Plant	Fiber (Paper • Slurry) • Flower • Fruit • Leaf • Oil • Plant powders (Dye • Flour • Sugar) • Seed (Press cake) • Wood
Creature/Plant	Alcohol • Cloth/Thread • Extract (Golden salve • Gnomeblight • Honey • Royal jelly • Syrup • Venom) • Glob • Liquids • Soap
Inorganic	Metal • Milk of lime • Soil (Clay • Sand) • Stone (Ash glaze • Earthenware • Gem • Gypsum plaster • Porcelain • Quicklime • Stoneware • Tin glaze)
Hardcoded	Amber • Ash • Coral • Filth • Fuel • Glass • Grime • Ice • Lye • Magma • Mud • Pearlash • Potash • Salt • Unknown substance • Vomit • Water
See also: Material science