Arbor Tree

Arbor Tree is a large, multi-branching plant found in the Forest Biome and available for domestic planting once Polluted Water irrigation is accessible. In the wild it requires a full 18-cycle growth stage to produce its trunk and a further 18 cycles to grow branches; domestically (in Planter Boxes, Farm Tiles, or Hydroponic Farms with fertilization) those stages take 4.5 cycles each. Domestic planting requires 10 kg/cycle Dirt fertilizer and 70 kg/cycle Polluted Water irrigation regardless of how many branches are present.

Arbor Tree branches are the primary product: each matured branch contains 300 kg Lumber. A fully mature wild Arbor Tree can produce up to 83.33 kg/cycle of lumber (harvested by a duplicant) or 138.88 g/s gross branch production rate; the unharvested drop rate is lower. A domestic Arbor Tree, fed and irrigated, can produce up to 333.33 kg/cycle of lumber (555.55 g/s), which is enough to run about 0.56 Ethanol Distillers per tree. When processed in an Ethanol Distiller, Polluted Water conversion ratios and downstream fuel conversions apply as per normal refinery chains.

Growth, spacing and branch mechanics are important to maximize yield. Arbor Trees grow up to five branches chosen from seven possible locations (three on each side and one on top). The branches require a 3×3 area centered two tiles above the trunk to spawn all five branches; nearby walls, buildings, or adjacent branches can block branch spawn. Individual branches mature independently and can be manually uprooted (one-time command) to force that branch to regrow in another available location. Once spawned, a branch will continue to regrow in the same location unless manually uprooted. Branches will self-harvest after 20 cycles if not chopped by a duplicant. Using manual uprooting at initial branch growth, three Arbor Trees can be planted with a single empty tile between them (instead of the usual two) to increase packing density; this trick must be applied when planting simultaneously because new Arbor Tree seeds cannot be planted unless the entire 3×3 branch area is clear.

Arbor Trees require an air pressure of 150 g – 10 kg and a temperature range of 15 °C to 40 °C to grow. Branches spawn at a fixed 20 °C (they are created from Genetic Ooze) and harvested Lumber adopts the current temperature of the branch tile; branches retain temperature between harvests. Because of these thermal properties and the large mass of lumber generated, Arbor Trees can become significant heat sources or sinks depending on feed temperatures. Keeping branch temperatures low reduces heat multiplication; in extreme cases feeding hot fertilizers can make a tree net heat-negative.

Arbor Trees provide decor: the trunk and each existing branch contribute decor (15 decor at a 2-tile radius per instance), so a single tree with multiple branches can yield substantial decoration value for parks or nature reserve rooms (though rooms do not count each branch as a separate plant for room-type determination). Pips (the critter) will eat growing branches and excrete Dirt; Pips and other scavengers rummaging trunks have a 5% chance per new branch to extract an Arbor Acorn, which drops onto the trunk tile. Acorn generation can be accelerated by submerging branches in liquids; note a Pip must be able to access the trunk tile to rummage for acorns.

Practical usage and interactions:

• Plant domestically only when you can reliably supply 70 kg/cycle Polluted Water and 10 kg/cycle Dirt; the fixed cost makes five-branch trees the most resource-efficient.
• Use manual uprooting early to tightly pack trees in greenhouses and maximize lumber-per-area.
• Harvest branches manually or allow automatic harvesting via waterfalls to simplify management.
• Place trees where their 3×3 branch footprint will not be obstructed by structures; moving branches by uproot can resolve conflicts.
• Manage heat by keeping branches cool; avoid feeding extremely hot fertilizers unless you intend to sink heat.
• Use Arbor Tree lumber for Ethanol production or to feed Pips’ stables; each domestic tree can sustain many adult Pips when tamed and happy.

Seeds for Arbor Tree are Arbor Acorns (found by uprooting wild trunks, digging buried artifacts in Forest Biomes, or by Pips/critters rummaging branches), and seeds must be planted with the required 3×3 clear area for branch growth.