Weeds are a common sight in the world of Animal Crossing. While some players enjoy leaving patches of weeds for aesthetic purposes, most aim to keep their islands weed-free. However, even the most diligent gardeners find weeds continually popping up around their islands. This leads to the question – do weeds grow back in Animal Crossing, and if so, how quickly?
Weeds Will Always Grow Back
The short answer is yes – weeds will always grow back after being removed in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Weeds are meant to be an ongoing maintenance task for players. No matter how many you pluck, new weeds will eventually spawn on your island.
Think of weeds like the grass and flowers on your island – they are a naturally occurring element of the environment. Grass gradually wears down from being walked on and needs to be replaced with custom designs or transparent custom paths. Flowers spawn buds and new stems over time. Similarly if the ground is left vacant, weeds will begin taking root after a period of time passes.
Weed Growth Rate
So how quickly do new weeds appear? Weeds take around 3 to 4 days to fully grow back after being plucked Here is the typical growth pattern
-
Day 1 – Weed shoots begin appearing as small sprouts peaking out of the ground. They cannot be removed yet.
-
Day 2 – The weeds are now stage 1 clumps and can be plucked, but will appear thin and straggly.
-
Day 3 – Weeds reach stage 2 growth, appearing bushier.
-
Day 4 – Weeds max out at the full stage 3 size. They can spawn flowers when mature.
The exact number of days can vary based on certain factors. Weeds may grow back more quickly if it rains frequently, since weeds grow faster with daily watering. Areas with many weeds already may take longer for new ones to appear since they compete for open space.
If you notice small green shoots, know that weeds are on their way. Stay vigilant and pluck them before they spread out of control.
Ways to Control Weeds
While weeds will always return, you can take steps to manage their growth:
-
Check your island daily for new weed growths and remove them. It takes less effort to pluck small weeds before they mature.
-
Place custom designs, paths, flooring or furniture items over areas you want to keep weed-free. Weeds cannot grow on top of these objects.
-
After heavy weed growth, pluck all weeds so new ones have space to spawn. Weeds spread faster when existing ones are removed.
-
Time travel forward day-by-day to keep ahead of weed buildup instead of jumping weeks ahead.
-
Ask friends to come weed your island if you can’t play for an extended period.
Benefits of Weeds
While weeds may seem like a nuisance, they do have some benefits:
-
Plucking weeds is an easy way to earn Bells during the early game, selling for 10 Bells each.
-
Weeds are handy crafting materials for certain DIY recipes like hedge fencing and leaf piles.
-
Letting weeds grow freely gives a more natural, wilderness aesthetic to parts of your island.
-
Special guests like Leif will occasionally pay 20 Bells per weed when he visits your island.
The Respawning Cycle
Appearances[edit]
Every day, new weeds show up in the town of the player, every game except City Folk and New Leaf. If the game is not played for a long time, the town will be overrun with weeds. Weeds can simply be pulled by picking them up like an item. In Animal Crossing and City Folk, Wisp can be bribed by telling him to get rid of all the weeds in town right away. In New Leaf, Leif offers a weed-pulling service once the Garden Shop has been built. Putting the Beautiful Town ordinance into effect will also slow the rate at which weeds grow, stopping most of them from showing up in the first place. When removing weeds in Wild World, there is no one to help, so the player has to do it all themselves.
There is no law that says you have to pull weeds, but they look bad and are bad for the town’s environment. When you get the lowest possible environment rating, a rafflesia flower can show up. It’s a big red flower that flies love. Having weeds around can also make it harder for flowers to reproduce because they take up space that new flowers could grow.
Clovers are another type of weed that shows up after Wild World. They look like four plants lined up two next to each other in a grid. Clovers can be pulled like weeds, but every once in a while, you might find a four-leaf clover instead. If you want to be lucky, you can put a four-leaf clover on a page of a book and display it in your home. You can also wear one as a headpiece in your hair.
In Animal Crossing: New Horizons[edit]
These days, weeds in New Horizons are different sizes and shapes, and they look completely different each season. The deserted island is initially covered with many weeds, and one new weed will appear each day. There are also a lot of weeds on the Mystery Islands, which can be helpful if the player has already pulled all the weeds on their own island.
A clump of weeds that has been pulled or dug up is added to the player’s inventory. They can then be sold, used to make things like medicine, or planted back into the ground. Weeds that are planted will always be small and will grow slowly over time. If you water them with a hose or rain, they will grow faster. If there are 31 or more weeds in the town, only one will show up every day. If there are 150 or more weeds in the town, no more weeds will appear and the ones that are there will stop growing. Using the Beautiful Island ordinance will cut the weed spreading rates in half.
The Greedy Weeder Nook Miles challenge awards stamps for selling large quantities of weeds at Nooks Cranny.
| Stage of weed | % when not watered | % when watered |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21% | 51% |
| 2 | 6% | 11% |
| Stage of weed | % when not watered | % when watered |
|---|---|---|
| Normal rates | ||
| 1 | 1% | 6% |
| 2 | 11% | 21% |
| 3 | 81% | 100% |
| With Beautiful Island ordinance on | ||
| 1 | 1% | 3% |
| 2 | 6% | 11% |
| 3 | 41% | 51% |
How To Get Rid Of All Weeds! Animal Crossing New Horizons
FAQ
How fast do weeds respawn in Animal Crossing?
Should I keep weeds in Animal Crossing?
Do weeds always grow back?
How do you get clump of weeds in Animal Crossing?
You can get Clump of Weeds fast by farming them on Mystery Island Tours or letting them grow naturally on your island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH). Check out our guide below to learn more about clump of weeds, a DIY Material in ACNH!
What are weeds in Animal Crossing?
Weeds are growths that resemble small clumps of long grass and appear in every game in the Animal Crossing series. Until New Horizons, weeds were negative environmental factors that the player had to remove to improve their environment rating.
Can you grow weed in Animal Crossing?
Cluster these plants and combine them with convincing accent walls, furniture items, and the Happy Home Paradise DLC’s overheat lighting, and you’ve got Animal Crossing players growing their own weed — stocking their dispensaries with the best cannabinoids and terpenes New Horizons has to offer.
Are there cannabis dispensaries in Animal Crossing?
People have been making cannabis dispensaries in Animal Crossing for a long time. I mean, the last game was called Animal Crossing: New Leaf — and then there’s Leif, the gardener and arborist who always asks if he can buy weed (s) off your island.