Flower

Petals are an early-game resource with many uses. They can be obtained from the start of the game, making them one of the first materials available for production chains and crafting.

Their most notable use is in oil production, since oil has high demand and is often made from Petals when other sources are not available. However, most production lines that rely on Petals are not especially efficient, and there are plenty of alternatives later on. Oil is relatively cheap to import, and Dye and Soap are both easier to produce from Cactus Flower instead.

Because of that, Petals tend to matter most in the early game. Once diplomacy is established and the midgame begins, they usually see much less use.