Saplings

A sapling is a non-solid block that can be grown into a tree.

Natural generation
In Legacy Console Edition, they can be found in 25.6% of village blacksmith chests in stacks of 3–7. Potted spruce saplings generate in taiga and snowy taiga village mason houses. Potted birch saplings generate in some room in woodland mansion. 58 Dark oak saplings generate naturally in a "sapling farm room" in woodland mansions. 28 dark oak saplings are also found inside a chest in that room. Acacia saplings generate in savanna village libraries.
 * Oak
 * Spruce
 * Birch
 * Dark oak
 * Acacia

Obtaining
Saplings can be broken using any tool, and will always drop themselves.

Leaves
When leaves are broken by any tool except shears, they will have a 5% chance of dropping a sapling, except for jungle leaves, which have a 2.5% chance of dropping a sapling.

The Fortune enchantment increases the rate to 6.25% (2.78% for jungle leaves) at level I, 8.33% (3.125% for jungle leaves) at level II, and 10% (4.17% for jungle leaves) at level III.

Chest loot
Oak saplings can be found in 48.2% of plains village house chests in stacks of 1–2, and in 25.6% of village weaponsmith chests in stacks of 3–7.

In Bedrock Edition they can be found in 16.7% of bonus chests in stacks of 4, and in 26.3% of village cartographer chests in stacks of 1–2. Spruce saplings can be found in 40.6% of taiga village house chests in stacks of 1–5.

In Bedrock Edition they can be found in 16.7% of bonus chests in stacks of 4, and in 43.7% of taiga village house chests in stacks of 1–5. Acacia saplings can be found in 71.7% of savanna village house chests in stacks of 1–2.

In Bedrock Edition they can be found in 16.7% of bonus chests in stacks of 4. In Bedrock Edition dark oak saplings can be found in 16.7% of bonus chests in stacks of 4.

Trading[
Each type of sapling is sold by the wandering trader for 5 emeralds.

Growing trees
Saplings come in six varieties, one for each of six trees: oak, birch, spruce, jungle, acacia, and dark oak.

Tree saplings can grow into trees when placed on dirt, podzol or a grass block. Oak, birch, (normal) jungle and (normal) spruce can also grow on farmland, and 2×2 trees only check for dirt or grass under the northwestern-most sapling. The sapling requires a light level of at least 9, and require a certain amount of space around the sapling, based on its type: Bone meal can be used to speed up the growth of the sapling, and to grow the tree without sufficient light.
 * Oak needs at least 5 spaces above
 * Birch needs at least 6 spaces above
 * Spruce needs at least 7 spaces above when placing a single sapling
 * Giant spruce needs at least 14 spaces above when planted as 4 saplings in a 2×2 square
 * Jungle needs at least 5 spaces above when placing a single sapling
 * Giant jungle needs at least 11 spaces above and 1 space adjacent when planted as 4 saplings in a 2×2 square
 * Acacia needs at least 6 spaces above
 * Dark oak needs at least 7 spaces above and must be planted as 4 saplings in a 2×2 square

Tree saplings have two growth stages (with no visible difference between them) before growing into trees. When a tree is to be grown, a height is chosen and then the ground and space are checked; if the ground is bad or there is not space for the chosen height, the tree will not grow.

Oak saplings will grow through dirt, replacing it with wood trunks.

Single and giant trees will not grow when they have an adjacent block next to them above ground, including half blocks. Single trees will allow objects to be placed at their diagonals without impeding growth, giant trees will not. Oak trees ignore adjacent blocks and will grow anyway, provided there is enough space above.

Decoration
Any kind of tree sapling can be placed in a flower pot.

Fuel
Tree saplings can be used as a fuel in furnaces, smelting 0.5 items per sapling.

Composting
Placing saplings into a composter has a 30% chance of raising the compost level by 1.

ID
Java Edition: Bedrock Edition:

Issues
Issues relating to "Sapling" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.

Trivia

 * If the player stands on the same block as a placed tree sapling, the tree will still grow over the player, which will cause suffocation as it pushes the player out of the block.
 * Saplings can grow without the required amount of light if bone meal is used.