v0.31:Tree

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v50.14 · v0.47 · v0.34 · v0.31.25 · v0.28 · 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. The only difference between different types of trees is the (usually very minor) difference in the weight of the log or item produced, and the color of the wood from underground "trees" - 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 ( ╞ ) (controlled by the [AUTUMNCOLOR] tag.) This does not affect their usefulness - they may be cut down in any season, and produce the same end result.

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

Harvesting or Removing

Trees are a type of map tile that forms a solid barrier, like stone. Trees (but not saplings) will block movement, and prevent designation of channeling, walls and other constructions. Saplings on soil cavern floors will, however, block the construction of farm plots unless there is also a dusting or pile of mud beneath them. Caravans can be especially vulnerable to being blocked by trees, since wagons require a path 3-tiles wide and cannot pass within 1 tile of a tree. Trees do not form a floor on the level above them (creatures cannot walk "on top of" trees), though both creatures and items can get stuck on top of trees if they manage to be thrown there.

They must be designated for removal from the designations menu option "chop trees", which will instruct dwarves with the wood cutting 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 wood hauling labor on any dwarf and designating a wood stockpile (Wood hauling is enabled by default).

Tree growth

Trees grow from saplings, which start growing randomly on tiles of a suitable biome. Saplings can be killed by heavy traffic, but not by flooding - they can survive for extended periods of time and can grow to maturity once the water level drops to 4/7^[Verify] or lower. 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 about a year and a half or more, though this seems randomized to some degree. 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 1 Z-level beneath them (currently observed to be at least 1 unmined tile within a 2-tile radius, similar to [WET] trees and shrubs near rivers and ponds); underground trees not only ignore this restriction for dry subterranean soil (since version 0.31.19) but will also grow on muddy subterranean stone.

Tree farming

While it is not possible to plant trees directly, walling off or engineering a patch of muddy soil underground and breaching a cavern to allow spores in is a decent method of growing trees safely.

List of Trees

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	0.500	thorns
Alder	♣	Any Temperate Broadleaf Forest	All (Dry)	Yes	0.410	catkins autumn coloration
Ash	♠	Any Temperate Broadleaf Forest	All (Dry)	Yes	0.620	flying keys autumn coloration
Birch	♣	Any Temperate Broadleaf Forest	All (Dry)	Yes	0.670	catkins silver bark autumn coloration
Black-cap	♠	Subterranean Cavern (layers 2-3)	All	No	0.650	gloomy appeal
Blood thorn	╡	Subterranean Cavern (layer 3) Subterranean Chasm	All	No	1.250	sickening appearance
Cacao tree	Γ	Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forest	All (Dry)	No	0.500	flowers
Candlenut	Γ	Any Tropical Forest	All (Dry)	No	0.500	nuts
Cedar	↨	Temperate Conifer Forest Tropical Conifer Forest	All (Dry)	No	0.380	majesty
Chestnut	♠	Any Temperate Broadleaf Forest	All (Dry)	Yes	0.500	smelly catkins spiny pods chestnuts autumn coloration
Feather tree	♣	Not Freezing	Good (Dry)	No	0.100	feathery leaves
Fungiwood	♣	Subterranean Cavern (layers 1-2)	All	No	0.600	fine grain
Glumprong	┤	Not Freezing	Evil (Dry)	No	1.200	living shadows
Goblin-cap	♠	Subterranean Cavern (layers 2-3)	All	No	0.600	stunning color
Highwood	¶	Not Freezing	Savage (Dry)	No	0.500	magnificence
Kapok	Γ	Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forest	All (Dry)	No	0.500	buttresses
Larch	↑	Taiga Temperate Conifer Forest	All (Dry)	Yes	0.590	cones needles
Mango tree	Γ	Any Tropical Forest	All (Dry)	No	0.500	sweet-smelling flowers
Mahogany	♠	Any Tropical Forest	All (Dry)	No	0.600	loose inflorescences
Maple	♣	Temperate Broadleaf Forest Temperate Grassland Temperate Savanna Temperate Shrubland	All (Dry)	Yes	0.755	autumn coloration
Mangrove	♣	Mangrove Swamp	All (Wet)	No	0.500	roots
Nether-cap	♠	Subterranean Cavern (layer 3)	All	No	0.550	coldness to the touch (wood has [MAT_FIXED_TEMP:10000])
Oak	♠	Any Temperate Broadleaf Forest	All (Dry)	Yes	0.700	acorns autumn coloration
Palm	Γ	Any Tropical	All (Dry)	No	0.500	leaves
Pine	↑	Taiga Temperate Conifer Forest Tropical Conifer Forest	All (Dry)	No	0.560	cones needles
Rubber tree	Γ	Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forest	All (Dry)	No	0.500	branch shedding
Saguaro	╞	Any Desert	All (Dry)	No	0.500	amazing arms
Spore tree	♣	Subterranean Cavern (layers 2-3)	All	No	0.600	raining spores
Tower-cap	♠	Subterranean Cavern (layers 1-2)	All	No	0.600	great size
Tunnel tube	│	Subterranean Cavern (layers 2-3)	All	No	0.500	curving trunk
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	0.420	sad appearance fluffy catkins

Bugs

• Good/evil plants/trees don't appear (feather trees, glumprongs, sliver barbs, and sun berries)^Bug:4133

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 Black-cap • Blood thorn • Fungiwood • Goblin-cap • Nether-cap • Spore tree • Tower-cap • Tunnel tube
Grasses Surface Meadow-grass • Hair grass • Bentgrass • Ryegrass • Fescue grass • Reedgrass • Knotgrass • Zoysia • Dog's tooth grass • Dallisgrass • Carpetgrass • Satintail • Grama • Dropseed grass • Needle grass • Baby toes succulent • Pebble plant • Blue sedge • Field sedge • Purple moor grass • Velvet grass • Meadowsweet • Rush • Marsh thistle • Common reed • Cattail • Sawgrass • Cottongrass • White mountain heather • Mountain avens • Cloudberry • Wormy tendril • Staring eyeball • Bubble bulb • Downy grass • Arrow bamboo • Golden bamboo • Hedge bamboo Subterranean Cave moss • Floor fungus