Plants are central to life in Palia, providing important resources for daily activities and contributing to a thriving homestead. Whether cultivated in a garden or found in the wild, plants are important for progression, offering opportunities for sustenance, crafting, and economic endeavors.
Types of Plants in Palia
Palia’s plant life falls into distinct categories.
Crops are cultivated plants grown on a housing plot for their yield. These include:
Carrots
Onions
Potatoes
Wheat
Rice
Blueberries
Apples
Cotton
Corn
Spicy Peppers
Napa Cabbage
Bok Choy
Some crops can influence nearby plants when strategically placed.
Wild plants, or forageables, are gathered directly from their natural habitats across Kilima Valley and Bahari Bay. Examples include:
Mountain Morels
Sundrop Lilies
Crystal Lake Lotuses
Brightshrooms
Dari Cloves
Heartdrop Lilies
Unlike cultivated crops, forageables are discovered during exploration. A third category, decorative plants, are ornamental flowers that beautify a player’s housing plot and do not require gardening soil.
Cultivating Plants
Acquiring Seeds
Establishing a productive garden begins with acquiring seeds. Players can purchase common varieties from Zeki’s General Store, while specialized options like Apple and Blueberry seeds are found at Badruu’s Gardening Guild Store. As players advance, a Seed Collector converts harvested crops into new seeds, offering a sustainable supply. Seeds can also be found by tilling soil or as quest rewards.
Preparing the Garden
The tutorial quest, “Gardening 101,” provides initial soil plots and basic tools. Players use a hoe to till soil, creating squares for planting. Additional soil plots, up to nine, can be purchased from Badruu’s store to expand farming efforts.
Planting and Watering
To plant, select seeds from the action bar and interact with tilled ground. Most crops occupy a single square, but larger plants like Blueberry bushes require a 2×2 area. Crops need regular watering, typically once per game day, using a watering can refilled from any water source. Plant growth progresses daily at 6:00 AM Palian time, provided they are watered.
Fertilizing and Weeding
Maintaining a healthy garden involves fertilizing and weeding. Fertilizers enhance growth by boosting harvest yield, improving quality, or preventing weeds. Different types, like WeedBlock Fertilizer, can be purchased or crafted, lasting one growth cycle. Weeds appear daily, hindering growth if not removed. Removing them yields Knapweed, and strategic planting of crops like Carrots or Onions can also prevent weed growth.
Foraging for Wild Plants
Locating Forageables
Foraging involves exploring the environment to collect wild plants and natural resources. Forageables are scattered across Kilima Valley and Bahari Bay, with each biome hosting unique flora. Identifying these biomes and their characteristic plant life is key to successful foraging; for instance, Crystal Lake Lotuses are found along Kilima Village’s southern edges.
Gathering Techniques
Gathering forageables is generally straightforward, often requiring a simple interaction. For larger resources like trees, an axe is needed to collect wood. Improving foraging skill allows players to upgrade tools, enhancing efficiency and access to more robust resources.
Rare Forageables
Some wild plants are rarer, requiring more exploration or specific conditions. Brightshrooms are found in Bahari Bay, often near the Flooded Fortress. Briar Daisies typically spawn only at night on Bahari Bay mountain tops. Rare items have limited despawn timers, persisting for two minutes (rare) or five minutes (epic) after appearing.
Uses of Plants
Plants serve many purposes, contributing to a player’s progress and economy.
Cooking Ingredients
Many harvested crops and wild forageables are primary cooking ingredients. Common crops like carrots and onions are used in various recipes, while specific forageables such as Brightshrooms are also utilized. Meals restore Focus, a resource for skill progression.
Crafting Materials
Plants are also valuable crafting materials. Cotton, a cultivated crop, processes into fabric for various recipes. Timber from trees is a primary material for constructing furniture and tools. Some forageables, like Coral, are used in specialized items such as Dowsing Rods.
Economic Value
The economic aspect of plants is substantial. Both raw and processed plant products can be sold for gold. Processing harvested crops into goods like pickled vegetables or jams often yields higher profit, making gardening a viable method for generating in-game currency. Zeki’s General Store is a convenient vendor for selling plant-based products.
Social and Collection Uses
Plants also play a role in social interactions and collection goals. Crops can be given as gifts to non-player characters (NPCs) to build friendship and reputation, unlocking new quests. Certain forageables, like shells, are favored gifts. Specific plants or derived items are often required for completing bundles, which offer valuable rewards.