Sapling

This article is about the saplings obtainable by breaking leaves of their respective tree types. For the block used to grow an azalea tree, see Azalea. For the block used to grow a mangrove tree, see Mangrove Propagule. For the block used to grow bamboo, see Bamboo shoot. For the block used to grow huge fungi, see Fungus.
Sapling

Oak Sapling.png: Infobox image for Sapling the block in Minecraft

Spruce Sapling.png: Infobox image for Sapling the block in Minecraft

Birch Sapling.png: Infobox image for Sapling the block in Minecraft

Jungle Sapling.png: Infobox image for Sapling the block in Minecraft

Acacia Sapling.png: Infobox image for Sapling the block in Minecraft

Dark Oak Sapling.png: Infobox image for Sapling the block in Minecraft

Cherry Sapling.png: Infobox image for Sapling the block in Minecraft

Pale Oak Sapling.png: Infobox image for Sapling the block in Minecraft

Invicon Oak Sapling.png: Inventory sprite for Oak Sapling in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Oak SaplingInvicon Spruce Sapling.png: Inventory sprite for Spruce Sapling in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Spruce SaplingInvicon Birch Sapling.png: Inventory sprite for Birch Sapling in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Birch SaplingInvicon Jungle Sapling.png: Inventory sprite for Jungle Sapling in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Jungle SaplingInvicon Acacia Sapling.png: Inventory sprite for Acacia Sapling in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Acacia SaplingInvicon Dark Oak Sapling.png: Inventory sprite for Dark Oak Sapling in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Dark Oak SaplingInvicon Cherry Sapling.png: Inventory sprite for Cherry Sapling in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Cherry SaplingInvicon Pale Oak Sapling.png: Inventory sprite for Pale Oak Sapling in Minecraft as shown in-game with description: Pale Oak Sapling
Renewable

Yes

Stackable

Yes (64)

Tool

Any tool

Blast resistance

0

Hardness

0

Luminous

No

Transparent

Yes

Flammable

No

Catches fire
from lava

No

Map color (JE)


 7 PLANT

A sapling is a non-solid block that can be grown into a tree.

Obtaining

Breaking

Saplings can be broken instantly using any tool, including the player's fist, and always drop themselves.

Block Saplings
Hardness 0
Breaking time (secs)
Default 0.05
Legend
  • incorrect tool, drops nothing
  • correct tool, drops nothing or something other than the block itself
  • correct tool, drops the block itself
  • italicized can be instant mined

Natural generation

Spruce

Potted spruce saplings generate in taiga and snowy taigavillage mason houses.

Birch

Potted birch saplings generate in the "Large dining room" and "Master bedroom" rooms in woodland mansions.

Dark oak

The "Sapling farm" room in woodland mansions naturally generates with 58 dark oak saplings and a chest that always contains an additional 28 dark oak saplings.

Acacia

Two acacia saplings generate in front of each savanna village library.

Generated loot

Item Structure Container Quantity Chance
Java Edition
Village Weaponsmith's chest 3–7 25.6%
Plains house chest 1–2 48.2%
Village Taiga house chest 1–5 40.6%
Village Savanna house chest 1–2 71.7%
Bedrock Edition
Bonus Chest Chest 4 14.3%
Village Cartographer's chest 1–2 26.3%
Plains house chest 1–2 48.2%
Weaponsmith's chest 3–7 25.6%
Bonus Chest Chest 4 14.3%
Village Taiga house chest 1–5 43.7%
Bonus Chest Chest 4 14.3%
Village Savanna house chest 1–2 71.7%
Bonus Chest Chest 4 14.3%

Trading

Each type of sapling can be sold by the wandering trader for 5 emeralds.

Post-generation

When leaves decay, or are broken by any tool except shears or tools with Silk Touch, they have a 5.1% chance of dropping a sapling, except for jungle leaves, which have a 2.6% chance of dropping a sapling. The Fortune enchantment increases the rate to 6.26% (2.79% for jungle leaves) at level I, 8.34% (3.126% for jungle leaves) at level II, and 10.1% (4.18% for jungle leaves) at level III.

Usage

Growing trees

See also: Tree

Saplings come in eight varieties, each of which can grow into a corresponding tree: oak, birch, spruce, jungle, acacia, dark oak, pale oak, and cherry. In addition, mangrove propagules can also grow into trees, and azaleas when bone meal is used on them.

Saplings can grow into trees when placed on all variants of dirt (except dirt paths) or moss blocks.

Saplings have two growth stages (with no visible difference between them using default resources) before growing into trees. Bone meal can be used to speed up the growth of the sapling, even to grow the tree without sufficient light. Otherwise, the block above the sapling needs to be a light level of at least 9 for its growth stage to increase and for it to grow into a tree.

When a tree is to be grown, a height is chosen and then the ground and space above are checked; if the ground is bad or there is no space for the chosen height, the tree does not grow. A certain volume of space is required above the sapling, based on its type:

  • Oak needs at least 5 spaces above (3×3 column) to grow normally. If a block is present in the growth space (but not directly above the sapling), the tree still grows, but is forced to grow a large variant.
  • Birch needs at least 6 spaces above (3×3 column).
  • Spruce needs at least 6 spaces above (5×5 column) when placing a single sapling.
    • Giant spruce needs at least 14 spaces above (6×6 column‌ or 5×5 column centered on the northwest sapling‌) when planted as 4 saplings in a 2×2 square. Also requires the 4×4 area centered on the saplings‌ or 3×3 area centered on the northwest sapling‌ at the same level to be empty.[1]
  • Jungle needs at least 5 spaces above (3×3 column) when placing a single sapling.
    • Giant jungle needs at least 11 spaces above (6×6 column) when planted as 4 saplings in a 2×2 square. Also requires the 3×3 area centered on the saplings and to the north/west of the sapling at the same level to be empty of any type of block, including transparent ones. However, a giant jungle tree can grow if the the north/west blocks are any type of log, wood or leaves.[1]
  • Acacia needs at least 6 spaces above (5×5 column).
  • Dark oak and pale oak need at least 7 spaces above (6×6 column) and must be planted as 4 saplings in a 2×2 square.
  • Cherry needs at least 8 spaces above (5×5 column).

In addition:

  • A spruce or jungle sapling cannot grow if it is part of a 2×2 square of saplings that doesn't meet the requirements for a giant tree.
  • Except for giant jungle and giant spruce (as noted above), sapling growth is not affected by nearby blocks on the same level as the sapling(s).

In Java Edition, blocks in the #replaceable_by_trees tag are treated as empty, and all types of log blocks, wood blocks, stripped variants, and leaves are exceptions (they don't stop growth). In Bedrock Edition, log and wood blocks are treated like other block types and stop the sapling from growing if they are above it.

When a sapling on a grass block grows into a tree, the grass block becomes a dirt block.

Bee nests

Oak, birch, and cherry trees grown from saplings that are within 2 blocks of any flower, flowering azalea,‌ or flowering azalea leaves‌ have a 5% chance to grow with a bee nest and 2-3 bees in it.

Decoration

Any kind of sapling can be placed in a flower pot.

Fuel

Saplings can be used as a fuel in furnaces, smelting 0.5 items per sapling.

Composting

Placing a sapling into a composter has a 30% chance of raising the compost level by 1. A stack of saplings yields an average of 2.74 bone meal.

Sounds

Cherry sapling

Java Edition:

BlockSprite cherry-sapling.png: Sprite image for cherry-sapling in Minecraft cherry_sapling sound type
SoundSubtitlesSourceDescriptionResource locationTranslation keyVolumePitchAttenuation
distance
​Block brokenBlocksOnce the block has brokenblock.cherry_sapling.breaksubtitles.block.generic.break1.00.816
​Block placedBlocksWhen the block is placedblock.cherry_sapling.placesubtitles.block.generic.place1.00.816
​Block breakingBlocksWhile the block is in the process of being brokenblock.cherry_sapling.hitsubtitles.block.generic.hit0.250.516
​Something falls on a blockEntity-DependentFalling on the block with fall damageblock.cherry_sapling.fallsubtitles.block.generic.fall0.50.7516
​FootstepsEntity-DependentWalking on the blockblock.cherry_sapling.stepsubtitles.block.generic.footsteps0.151.016

Bedrock Edition:

BlockSprite bamboo-shoot.png: Sprite image for bamboo-shoot in Minecraft bamboo_sapling sound type
SoundSourceDescriptionResource locationVolumePitch
BlocksOnce the block has brokenblock.bamboo_sapling.break0.90.8-1.0
BlocksWhen the block is placedblock.bamboo_sapling.place0.850.8-1.0

Other saplings

Java Edition:

BlockSprite short-grass.png: Sprite image for short-grass in Minecraft grass sound type
SoundSubtitlesSourceDescriptionResource locationTranslation keyVolumePitchAttenuation
distance
​Block brokenBlocksOnce the block has brokenblock.grass.breaksubtitles.block.generic.break1.00.816
​Block placedBlocksWhen the block is placedblock.grass.placesubtitles.block.generic.place1.00.816
​Block breakingBlocksWhile the block is in the process of being brokenblock.grass.hitsubtitles.block.generic.hit0.250.516
​Something falls on a blockEntity-DependentFalling on the block with fall damageblock.grass.fallsubtitles.block.generic.fall0.50.7516
​FootstepsEntity-DependentWalking on the blockblock.grass.stepsubtitles.block.generic.footsteps0.151.016

Bedrock Edition:

BlockSprite short-grass.png: Sprite image for short-grass in Minecraft grass sound type
SoundSourceDescriptionResource locationVolumePitch
BlocksOnce the block has brokendig.grass0.70.8–1.0
BlocksWhen the block is placeduse.grass0.80.8–1.0
BlocksWhile the block is in the process of being brokenhit.grass0.30.5
PlayersFalling on the block with fall damagefall.grass0.41.0
PlayersWalking on the blockstep.grass0.31.0
BlocksJumping from the blockjump.grass0.111.0
BlocksFalling on the block without fall damageland.grass0.211.0

Data values

ID

Java Edition:

NameIdentifierFormBlock tagsItem tagsTranslation key
BlockSprite oak-sapling.png: Sprite image for oak-sapling in Minecraft Oak Saplingoak_saplingBlock & Itemsaplingssaplingsblock.minecraft.oak_sapling
BlockSprite spruce-sapling.png: Sprite image for spruce-sapling in Minecraft Spruce Saplingspruce_saplingBlock & Itemsaplingssaplingsblock.minecraft.spruce_sapling
BlockSprite birch-sapling.png: Sprite image for birch-sapling in Minecraft Birch Saplingbirch_saplingBlock & Itemsaplingssaplingsblock.minecraft.birch_sapling
BlockSprite jungle-sapling.png: Sprite image for jungle-sapling in Minecraft Jungle Saplingjungle_saplingBlock & Itemsaplingssaplingsblock.minecraft.jungle_sapling
BlockSprite acacia-sapling.png: Sprite image for acacia-sapling in Minecraft Acacia Saplingacacia_saplingBlock & Itemsaplingssaplingsblock.minecraft.acacia_sapling
BlockSprite dark-oak-sapling.png: Sprite image for dark-oak-sapling in Minecraft Dark Oak Saplingdark_oak_saplingBlock & Itemsaplingssaplingsblock.minecraft.dark_oak_sapling
BlockSprite cherry-sapling.png: Sprite image for cherry-sapling in Minecraft Cherry Saplingcherry_saplingBlock & Itemsaplingssaplingsblock.minecraft.cherry_sapling
BlockSprite pale-oak-sapling.png: Sprite image for pale-oak-sapling in Minecraft Pale Oak Saplingpale_oak_saplingBlock & Itemsaplingssaplingsblock.minecraft.pale_oak_sapling

Bedrock Edition:

NameIdentifierAlias ID Numeric ID FormItem ID[i 1]Translation key
BlockSprite oak-sapling.png: Sprite image for oak-sapling in Minecraft Oak Saplingoak_saplingsapling / 06Block & Giveable Item[i 2]Identical[i 3]
tile.sapling.oak.name
BlockSprite spruce-sapling.png: Sprite image for spruce-sapling in Minecraft Spruce Saplingspruce_saplingsapling / 11080Block & Giveable Item[i 2]Identical[i 3]
(Numeric: -825)
tile.sapling.spruce.name
BlockSprite birch-sapling.png: Sprite image for birch-sapling in Minecraft Birch Saplingbirch_saplingsapling / 21081Block & Giveable Item[i 2]Identical[i 3]
(Numeric: -826)
tile.sapling.birch.name
BlockSprite jungle-sapling.png: Sprite image for jungle-sapling in Minecraft Jungle Saplingjungle_saplingsapling / 31082Block & Giveable Item[i 2]Identical[i 3]
(Numeric: -827)
tile.sapling.jungle.name
BlockSprite acacia-sapling.png: Sprite image for acacia-sapling in Minecraft Acacia Saplingacacia_saplingsapling / 41083Block & Giveable Item[i 2]Identical[i 3]
(Numeric: -828)
tile.sapling.acacia.name
BlockSprite dark-oak-sapling.png: Sprite image for dark-oak-sapling in Minecraft Dark Oak Saplingdark_oak_saplingsapling / 51084Block & Giveable Item[i 2]Identical[i 3]
(Numeric: -829)
tile.sapling.big_oak.name
BlockSprite cherry-sapling.png: Sprite image for cherry-sapling in Minecraft Cherry Saplingcherry_saplingNone802Block & Giveable Item[i 2]Identical[i 3]
(Numeric: -547)
tile.cherry_sapling.name
BlockSprite pale-oak-sapling.png: Sprite image for pale-oak-sapling in Minecraft Pale Oak Saplingpale_oak_saplingNone1261Block & Giveable Item[i 2]Identical[i 3]
(Numeric: -1006)
tile.pale_oak_sapling.name
  1. ID of block's direct item form, which is used in savegame files and addons.
  2. a b c d e f g h Available with /give command.
  3. a b c d e f g h The block's direct item form has the same ID as the block.

Block states

See also: Block states

Java Edition:

Name Default value Allowed values Description
stage00
1
Specifies the sapling's growth stage.

Bedrock Edition:

NameMetadata Bits Default value Allowed valuesValues for
Metadata Bits
Description
age_bitNot Supportedfalsefalse
true
UnsupportedSpecifies the sapling's growth stage.


History

Java Edition pre-Classic
rd-161348 Added saplings as the fifth placeable block in the game.
Pressing 6 selects it. (It was not on 5, which was empty, as Notch thought his sapling texture was "ugly" and tried to hide the block.[2])
Java Edition Classic
0.0.13a Changed texture and model of saplings.
August 25, 2009Notch showed saplings growing into trees.
0.24_SURVIVAL_TESTAdded tree growth.
Java Edition Indev
0.3120091223-0040 Saplings now have a stretched model with wider texture planes.
20100109-1939 The texture of saplings has been changed.
20100124-2119A full stack of saplings now generates in a chest inside the starting house.
20100129-1447Saplings no longer generate in a chest inside the starting house.
Java Edition Infdev
20100413-1949Saplings can now grow into big trees instead of the original pattern.
20100607Saplings grow into regular trees again.
Java Edition Beta
1.5 Added spruce and birch saplings. Before, trees dropped only oak saplings, regardless of the tree.
Saplings can now be used as fuel in furnaces.
Oak saplings from prior to this update could convert to spruce or birch saplings.​ This was presumably due to the data now used for specifying sapling type previously being used for age calculations.
1.8Pre-release Changed lighting.
Java Edition
1.112w01aOak saplings can now be found in the new village blacksmith chests.
1.2.112w04a Added jungle saplings.
The texture of oak saplings has been changed.
1.3.112w17aSaplings now have names based on their type of tree.
1.4.212w34a The ability to place saplings in flower pots has been added.
1.7.213w43a

Added acacia and roofed oak saplings.
1.7"Roofed Oak Sapling" has been renamed to "Dark Oak Sapling".
?Blocks can now be replaced with log by growing dark oak saplings. If pre-existing parts of a dark oak tree exist, the tree may randomly grow downward, replacing any block in the way with wood.
1.814w07a Sapling texture planes are no longer stretched by a factor of sqrt2.
14w10a Saplings of metadata 8-13 (closer to growth) now have no model.
14w10bSaplings 8-13 now have models again.
14w10c Sapling texture planes are now stretched a bit more than they were previously - were the texture full, it would reach the corners of the block.
14w17a Sapling texture planes are now the same size as they were before 14w07a.
14w25a Saplings are now affected by the same shading full blocks are.
14w26a Saplings are no longer subject to shading.
1.8.2pre4Blocks can no longer be replaced using dark oak tree growth.
1.1116w39aDark oak and birch saplings now generate in woodland mansions.
1.1418w43a

The textures of all saplings have been changed.
18w48aOak saplings can now be found in chests in plains village houses.
18w49aAcacia saplings can now be found in chests in savanna village houses.
Acacia saplings now generate in front of savanna village libraries.
18w50aSpruce saplings can now be found in chests in taiga village houses.
Potted spruce saplings now generate in taiga village mason houses.
19w03aPlacing a sapling into the new composter block has a 10% chance of raising the compost level by 1.
19w05aSaplings now have a 30% chance of increasing the compost level in a composter by 1.
Added wandering traders, which sell all types of saplings.
1.1519w34aBee nests were added, which have a chance to generate on trees grown from saplings.​
19w35aBee nests can no longer generate on trees grown from saplings.
1.15.2Pre-Release 1Oak and birch saplings grown within 2 blocks of a flower on the same y-level now have a 5% chance to have a bee nest.
1.1721w11a Changed lighting.
21w16aSaplings can now be planted and grown on mycelium and moss blocks.[3]
1.1821w39a The default brightness has been changed from "Moody" to 50.
1.19.4
Experiment
Update 1.20
23w07a Added cherry saplings behind the "Update 1.20" experimental data pack.
1.19.4-pre2 Changed the texture of cherry saplings.
1.2023w12aCherry saplings are now available without using the "Update 1.20" experimental data pack.
1.21.2
Experiment
Winter Drop
24w40a Added pale oak saplings.
1.21.424w44aPale Oak Saplings can now be sold by the wandering trader.
1.21.525w02aPale Oak Saplings now have an updated map color.
Pocket Edition Alpha
v0.3.2
Added oak, spruce, and birch saplings.
v0.3.3Saplings are now available in the creative inventory.
v0.8.0build 1 The texture of oak saplings has been changed.
Saplings can now be used as fuel in a furnace.
v0.9.0build 1
Added jungle, acacia and dark oak saplings.
build 5Spruce saplings can now be used to grow mega spruce trees.
Pocket Edition
1.1.0alpha 1.1.0.0Dark oak and birch saplings now generate in woodland mansions.
Bedrock Edition
1.2.0beta 1.2.0.2Saplings can now be found in bonus chests.
1.10.0beta 1.10.0.3Saplings can now be bought from wandering traders.
Potted spruce saplings can now be found in taiga and snowy taiga village mason houses.
Acacia saplings now generate in some savanna village houses.

The textures of all saplings have been changed.
1.11.0beta 1.11.0.1Oak saplings can now be found in village cartographer and plains village house chests.
Acacia saplings can now be found in savanna village house chests.
Spruce saplings can now be found in taiga and snowy taiga village house chests.
Saplings can now be used to fill up composters.
1.16.0beta 1.15.0.51Oak and birch saplings grown within 2 blocks of a flower on the same y-level now have a 5% chance to have a bee nest.
1.19.80
Experiment
Next Major Update
Preview 1.19.80.20 Added cherry saplings behind the "Next Major Update" experimental toggle.
1.20.0Preview 1.20.0.21Cherry saplings are now available without using the "Next Major Update" experimental toggle.
1.21.50Preview 1.21.50.20 Added pale oak saplings.
1.21.60Preview 1.21.60.21Saplings no longer appear mirrored when viewed from certain angles.[4]
Legacy Console Edition
Xbox 360Xbox OnePS3PS4PS VitaWii USwitch
TU1CU11.001.001.00Patch 11.0.1
Added oak, spruce, and birch saplings.
TU3 The texture of oak saplings has been changed.
TU12 Added jungle tree saplings.
TU141.04 The ability to place saplings in flower pots has been added.
TU31CU191.221.221.22Patch 3
Added acacia and dark oak saplings.
TU54CU441.521.521.52Patch 241.0.4Dark oak and birch saplings now generate in woodland mansions.
1.90
The textures of all saplings have been changed.
1.91Added wandering traders, which sell all types of saplings.
Saplings can now be used to fill up composters.
New Nintendo 3DS Edition
0.1.0
Added saplings.

Data history

This article is missing information about: history about bedrock edition.
 
Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page.
Java Edition
1.814w06aAll six saplings now use the newly-implemented model json file models/block/cross.json; previously the geometry was defined in the game code itself.
14w10aSaplings with numerical metadata variants 6, 7, 14 and 15, which are inaccessible through normal gameplay, now have no model rather than appearing identical to dark oak saplings.
14w25aSaplings are now defined via block states rather than by numerical metadata. Prior to this version, the numerical metadata variants of sapling were as follows:
DV Description
BlockSprite oak-sapling.png: Sprite image for oak-sapling in Minecraft 0
BlockSprite spruce-sapling.png: Sprite image for spruce-sapling in Minecraft 1
BlockSprite birch-sapling.png: Sprite image for birch-sapling in Minecraft 2
BlockSprite jungle-sapling.png: Sprite image for jungle-sapling in Minecraft 3
BlockSprite acacia-sapling.png: Sprite image for acacia-sapling in Minecraft 4
BlockSprite dark-oak-sapling.png: Sprite image for dark-oak-sapling in Minecraft 5
BlockSprite missingno.png: Sprite image for missingno in Minecraft 6-15 Inaccessible "boring" variants of saplings
14w26aSaplings with metadata values 6, 7, 14 and 15 have been completely removed from the game.
1.1317w47aThe different type block states for the sapling ID have now been split up into their own IDs.
Prior to The Flattening, this block's numeral ID was 6.
1.1721w19a#minecraft:saplings has been added to the newly-implemented #minecraft:mineable/axe block tag. This, however, has no effect in-game, since the blocks break instantly anyway regardless of tool used or active effects.
1.21.525w10a#minecraft:saplings has been removed from the block tags #minecraft:mineable/axe and #minecraft:sword_efficient.
Bedrock Edition
1.20.80Preview 1.20.80.20The different sapling type block states for the sapling ID have now been split up into their own IDs.

Issues

Issues relating to "Sapling" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

Trivia

  • If the player stands on the same block as a placed tree sapling, the tree still grows over the player, causing suffocation as it pushes the player out of the block.

Gallery

Screenshots

In other media

See also

References

  1. a b "[MC-8187] Two by two arrangements of jungle or spruce saplings cannot grow into trees when surrounded by snow - Jira"Mojira, January 24, 2013.
  2. IRC logs (May 20, 2009)[1]: "[00:50:09] <Notch_> it's very ugly, so i "hid" it one letter over. ;)"
  3. "[MC-213927] Using bone meal on a sapling that is on a moss block consumes bone meal, but doesn't grow into a tree - Jira"Mojira, February 4, 2021.
  4. MCPE-40646 — Cross models are displayed wrongly from east and west sides — resolved as "Fixed".

External links

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