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Book of Knowledge - Plants
By Bumpid
A Guide to the plants of Synergy.
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Bumpid
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Category: Gameplay Basics, Secrets, Story or Lore
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26 Jun, 2024 @ 7:00pm
17 Sep, 2024 @ 12:49pm
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Guide Index
Overview
Basics and Legend 
Fruit-Bearing Plants 
Water-Bearing Plants 
Rock-Bearing Plants 
The Trees 
The Fungi 
The Problematic Bunch 
The Expedition Results 
Comments
Basics and Legend
Plants are the most important source of resources, be it food, building or crafting material.
This Guid shows the completed info sheets to each plant.
But first: the icons and their meaning:

Icon
Description
The Rip Out Action gives a large amount of the shown resource and destroys the plant. The Action is always available for all plants an nedds no Building or Technology.
The Picking Action gives a small amount of the shown resource. The Action is performed via the Picker's Cabin and is available at game start.
The Trimming Action gives a small amount of the shown resource. The Action is performed via the Picker's Cabin and is available at game start.
The Seed Scattering Action gives Seeds and causes plant proliferation. The Action is performed via the Picker's Cabin. The technology "Sowing" has to be researched for the Action and its Information to become available. This Action costs Rotten Rescource
The Pruning Action gives a moderate amount of the shown resource from a tree. The Action is performed via the Arborists' Hut. The technology "Arboriculture" has to be researched for the Action and its Information to become available.
The Notching Action gives a moderate amount of the shown resource from a tree. The Action is performed via the Arborists' Hut. The technology "Advanced Arboriculture" has to be researched for the Action and its Information to become available.
The Reaping Action gives a moderate amount of the shown resource from a crop. The Action is performed via the Agricultural Farm. The technology "Agriculture" has to be researched for the Action and its Information to become available.
The Uprooting Action gives a moderate amount of the shown resource from a crop. The Action is performed via the Agricultural Farm. The technology "Agriculture" has to be researched for the Action and its Information to become available. This Action consumes Clear Water.
This Action causes a Wound when performed.
This Action causes Intoxication when performed.
This Action causes the plant to die when performed. The whithered remains of the plant remain on the map and need to be removed separately.
This Action causes the plant to proliferate when performed. The plant will atempt to create a new plant of its type in its radius. This is not always successful.
The Effect(s) the plant has in its effect radius. Effect radius is 4 for 1x1 size plants and 7 for 2x2 size plants.
This plant modifies the Well Beeing of any House in its radius.
The plant provides shade int ist radius. Shade lowers temperature by 10° and raises Well Beeing by 5 points.
This plant modifies the temperature in its radius. The same Symbol is used for the temperature need of the plant. Temperature ranges from 0° to 100°.
This plant modifies the water in its radius. The same Symbol is used for the water need of the plant. Humidity ranges from 0% to 100%
This plant modifies the organics in its radius. The same Symbol is used for the organics need of the plant. Organics range from 0% to 30%
This plant modifies the minerals in its radius. The same Symbol is used for the minerals need of the plant. Minerals range from 0% to 30%
This Plant has special proliferation rules. These go for natural and induced proliferation
This plants has a (positive) effect if it is in the radius of another specified plant.
This plant has an alternate form and effect.
This plant is poisonous to other plant types, causing them to wither, when in this plants radius.
This plant prevents proliferation of other plant Types in its radius.
Dangerous Actions can be performed on this plant safely when certain conditions are met.

Harvest amounts depend on the plant size (1x1 or 2x2) as well as the plant health (how well its conditions are met).
The Temperature decrease of many plants is non culmulative, i.e. once one Plant causes the effect, other plants don't further decrease the Temperature.
Other enviromental effects are culmluative, ie. rows of shrubs will for instance cause the Organics Value to skyrocket.

Plants that can be found on expedition are never present at game start on any map. These will be shown in a sepereate register in this guide. All other plants are either present on the map or not, and strategy will have to be developed around those present.
Fruit-Bearing Plants
These plants, their presence or absence, determine which foods you will have to rely on in the early- to mid-game.

Plant
Strategy
The Cabbage Shrup is a food plant for the standard Watery Pod/Vegetable Combo, producing Vegetables. it has three peculiarities:
First it can also produce "Rotten Rescource", which is itself a somewhat rare Rescource to develop some technologies and to Scatter Seeds.
Second, it has Symbiosis with Whipping Gourd, in which presence it Ppoduces more Vegetables.
Third, its needs for high Organics and Water can be fullfilled by itself and the Whipping Gourd, making Plantations trivialy easy.
Overall it is a very beginner friendly plant.
The Cactus Shrub has two use cases.
First as a more manageable source of Bark compared to the Cinder Sprout.
Second as a Food Source on maps lacking the standard Watery Bulb/Vegetables Combo. In this Resin is required instead of Clear Water in the food crafting recipe. This makes it alos ideal for maps with little water.
The preference of Low Water and Moderatly high Temperature mean this plant has to be grown in the deserted and stony areas of the map, away from other plants. Furthermore this plant is subsceptible to the temperature change during dry season.
Another plant for the Warey Pod/Vegetable Combo, producing Watery Pods. Like the Cabbage Shrub this Plant needs Organics and Water and can be relativly easy cultivated.
In Early Game Ripping out excess plants is a source of initial Soft Fiber for research and Protective Gear. In Late Game the Farm can automate this via "Uproot" and replant.
Overall it is also a beginner friendly plant.
Another plant for the Watery Pod/Vegetable Combo, producing Watery Pods. Unlike the other "easy" plants this one has more complex requirements.
First, this plant also has Synergy with the Whipping Gourd, producing more Pods in its presence.
Secondly, the Diluvian Bush can alterantivly harvested for Branches, an industrial Rescource for the production of tools.
Thirdly its requirements are less complex than it initally seems: Low Minerals on the map are green grown regions. Those are usually also colder and wetter, facilitating growth. Additionally this Plant and irrigation also lower temperatures.
All in all this is a more complex beginner plant.
The only tree in this list, with its larger size also meaning a larger harvest.
The Straw Tree can alternativly be pruned for branches for the industry.
Otherwise it high demand for Minerals and absence of Water make it a desert tree. There is oppurtunity for a sort of Symbiosys with the Wigged Lotus due to overlapping needs on Maps that contain both.
The Wigged Lotus is a difficult fruit-bearing plant that produces either Vegetables or Seeds depending on its alternative form.
This plant will produce Vegetable only when in the shade of a tree, and only seeds outside of it. Both Rescources have their uses.
The need for relativly high Minerals clashes with the need for low temperature and means to lower the temperature must be emloyed if this plant is to be cultivated. These include: Irrigation; Tree shade (unwanted if you want Seeds), increasing minerals in a low temperature Zone.
[/table
Water-Bearing Plants
On maps where you can buil Pontoons whereever these plants might seem like an afterthought. On all others they can be a Lifesaver however as they provide a source for that ever scarce water.
All of these plants also serve as a late game source of Lianas for Scrolls and Music.

Plant
Strategy
The Beaky Bell is the easiest of the water-bearing plants, beeing able to provide Clean Water directly.
It is slightly problematic however: It is the only of these Plants to require Water and the only not to increase water in its surroundings.
Still a Plantation on green ground with irrigation should be a relativly simple endeavor.
The Throated Water Lily provides Toxic Water, which is still better than no water at all.
Its Need for both high Minerals and Organics is not satisfied by any soil outrigth, however a PLantation of these on rocky Mineral rich soil can provide their own Organics.
If this is where your industry is, consider making one to locally satisfy Toxic Water needs.
The Whipping Gourd is one of only two Plant you are guaranteed to always have due to its spawning ability. Around other benign plants this one tends to spawn sometimes.
One fatal flaw makes it little more than an emergency water suppply: the water can not be harvested without also destroing the plant.
This relegates its use as relativly easy source of Lianas in the Endgame ans as Humidity source for other plants.
Rock-Bearing Plants
These "plants" serve as a Early and Midgame source of Boreal Rock before Sand Factories and Arranged Caves are available. Especially arranged Caves make both of these plants obsolete though.


Plant
Strategy
The Petrified Giant servers several needs. It provides Rock, Fungus and a Barrier agains encroaching invasive plants.
This last ability is perhaps most interesting. It is only directly toxic to Cinder Sprouts, but its Imposing Presence ability means all plants don't proliferate where the Giant grows. this makes it useful barrier plant even in the Endgame.
The Rocky Fig is the Petrified Giants big brother. Beeing a big plant (2x2) even relativly few specimen will yield large amounts or Boreal Rock.
It Lacks however the Giants other distinguishing features and is thus completely obsolete when other more efficient Methods are developed.
It cannot be reliably used to decrease Mineral values very low as doing so will kill the plant.
The Trees
All Trees are a Source of their unique rescource: Tree Trunks; which can only be obtained by felling them (i.e. performing the Rip Out Action). Otherwise Trees provide industrial rescources, mostly Resin.
All Trees also Provide shade, thus also providing early game protection against overheating houses.


Plant
Strategy
The Bunch Tree initialy appears to be the odd one out, providing no shadow. This is where the alternative form comes in.
Bunch Trees can be pruned for Bark. When done so the Tree overgrows, now providing shadow as well as the promised 5 Well Beeing Points. This lasts until the tree is ready to be harvested again.
As such a dedictated Arborist is often necessary to ensure shadow is provided, making this a more problematic tree.
The Hatted Tree is a standard tree relativly well suited for desert and rocky soil.
It can be pruned for Soft Fiber and notched for Resin, both useful industrial rescources. Both actions do not compromise the trees ability to provide shade.
The Hatted Trees preference for high Minerals and relativly low Water make it ideal for providing protection in the hotter areas of the map (sand and rocky desert).
The Orange Hydra Tree is the odd one out. As a small plant (1x1) it will not provide any shade.
The Tree can be pruned for Thorns and Notched for Resin, making it a useful supplier of industry material.
Its most interesting property is its ability to increase Minerals in the soil. This pairs well with its only need of relativly high Minerals in the soil and can provide for other plants as well.
The other standard tree. The Sunshade Tree is suited well for green soils with high Organics and Humidity.
The tree can be pruned for Branches and notched for Resin, making it useful for Industry. Both actions also do not compromise the trees ability to provide shade.
The Sunshade Trees only slighly problematic need is the Humidity of 60% forcing you not to overwet it.
The Fungi
These "plants" don't fit neatly into other categories.


Plant
Strategy
The Giant Fungus is an invasive "plant" that spreads primarily where there are already other plants.
While it does decrease Organics, its own need for the same guaranties it cannot destroy its own Ecosystems.
Preferred Method of dealing with it is ripping them out every so often then letting them grow back, thus ensuring a low level supply of Fungi. In areas where the Giant Fungus is unwantet it can be removed completly as Fungi is a very niche rescource with other sources.
The Riverbank Finger is a very benign "plant" which provides one rescource: Seeds.
A high demand for Seeds in mit-to-late game plantation building, makes it very useful.
Its only need for high Humidity makes the plant even more easily cultivatable,
The Problematic Bunch
These are all plants that provide Problem in addtion to their uses. Utilising them is therefore more difficult than with any other type of plant.

Plant
Strategy
The Bamboo Flute is an invasive plant which also cannot properly utilised until lategame.
It can be reaped for Resin and uprooted for Branches.
Its Needs for high Minerals and low Humidity mean it is a desert plant.
Its main problem is its rapid proliferation, necessating frequent Rip Out harvests.
Barbed Brambles are also an invasive plant. It is also a large plant (2x2) with greater radius.
The Plant can be Trimmed for Thorns.
Its only need for low Organics means it can spread quickly over large protions of the map. Combined with its Imposing Presence, preventing further plantgrow, is what makes this plant my usuals erradication target No. 1.
The Cinder Sprout is the useful of the problematic Bunch.
It can be picked for Bark and trimmed for Ashy Kernels, the later making it a useful, if water intensive food source (Recipe requires 3 times the Clear Water).
The Cinder Sprout is also an invasive proliferator, requiring and causing low Humidity, thus making its own Biome. It is alos toxic to every Plant exept the Petrified Giant, which is toxic to it instead.
Keep it contained!
Plasma Teardrops are a fruit-bearing plant that is constantly boiling hot and thrives in these Enviroments.
It spwans around Foundries, making it the second guarteed plant to get.
It cannot be touched in dry season and its only produce, Watery Pods, has much easier alternative sources,
It requires dry hot climates and makes the climate even hotter.
Overall it is not very useful and its only saving grace is, that it is not invasive.
A slowly proliferating tree, that does provide shade and immediately cancels it out.
The Volcano Tree increases its enviroment by a total of 10°. It is also toxic to all plants, making it useless as a plantation component.
Its only produce, Ashy Kernels, aren't that useful and with Cinder Sprouts a safer source exists.
Again the Volcano trees only saving grace is its slow proliferation, making it easier to handle.
The Expedition Results
These lategame plants can be found on Expeditions and the planted vie the Plant Nursery.
Especially the crop plants require the Agricultural Farm to make good use of them.

Plant
Strategy
A variant of the Orange Hydra Tree, with wich it has Symbiosys.
The Blue Hydra Tree is a fruit tree instead and can be pruned for Watery Pods or Carbon Bulbs. Alone it produces Pods, with its sister-plant it produces bulbs.
It shares its sole need for 20% Minerals and increases Minerals also.
All of this makes it a good food source that ca grow on almost any soil.
The Orcular Stem is a crop plant that provides Carbon Bulbs.
The plant has Symbiosys with Scaled Corn and produces more fruit in its presence.
Its need for high Water and high Temperatures means it is best planted in a hot area of the map and then irrigated. Keep in mind: This plant and irrigation together lower Temperature by 10°. Also the plant is suspectible to the rising heat during Dry Season,
With Orcular Stem and Scaled Corn there are 2 strategies to benefit from their Symbiosis:
First: Use Orcular Stem to boost Scaled Corn if you want to make lots of Bread an supplying Water is no Problem.
Second: Use Scaled Corn to boost Orcular Stem to make Simple Dishes out of Carbon Bulbs and Resin, saving the Water.
The Scaled Corn is a crop plant the provides Cereal.
The plant has Symbiosys with Orcular Stem and produces more corn in its presence.
Its need for Low Minerals and High Organics are best satisfied by planting them in green soil.
With Orcular Stem and Scaled Corn there are 2 strategies to benefit from their Symbiosis:
First: Use Orcular Stem to boost Scaled Corn if you want to make lots of Bread an supplying Water is no Problem.
Second: Use Scaled Corn to boost Orcular Stem to make Simple Dishes out of Carbon Bulbs and Resin, saving the Water.
The Spiral Radish is a crop plant the provides Cereal and Vegetables.
Its need for low Temperature can be achieved with: Shade, Irrigation
The need for high Minerals with: Mineral Enhancer
Here it is best to look what soils you have and then provide the difference.