Ferns are a small decorative plant you can find and harvest in Minecraft. Unlike most plants, you can’t craft them. You need to search specific biomes and cut them with shears. Here’s everything you need to know about getting and using ferns.
What Are Ferns?
Ferns are short green plants that grow on the ground in certain biomes. They’re a decoration block used mostly for building and landscaping. You can’t make them with a crafting table, and they don’t have a furnace recipe either. You have to find and harvest them from the world.
Where to Find Ferns
Ferns spawn naturally in a few biomes. Here’s where to look:
Taiga
Ferns are common in taiga biomes. Good spot for quick gathering if you need a bunch.
Jungle
You’ll find ferns scattered around jungle biomes, especially near water and vegetation.
Old Growth Pine Taiga
The larger taiga variant has plenty of ferns growing on the forest floor.
How to Harvest Ferns in Survival Mode
Step 1: Get Shears
Ferns break with any tool, but shears are the fastest way. You can craft shears from iron ingots or find them in various loot chests.
Step 2: Find a Fern
Head to a taiga or jungle biome and look for small green plants on the ground.
Step 3: Cut It Down
Hold shears in your hand and use them on the fern. The controls depend on your platform:
- Java Edition (PC/Mac): Left click and hold
- Bedrock Edition (all platforms): Hold the use button
- Xbox: Hold RT button
- PlayStation: Hold R2 button
- Nintendo Switch: Hold ZR button
Step 4: Pick It Up
A small fern item drops once you finish breaking it. Grab it before it despawns.
Getting Ferns in Creative Mode
In Creative mode, ferns are in the decoration blocks tab (or natural blocks in newer versions). Just search for “fern” in the creative inventory or scroll through the decoration section.
Item IDs and Commands
Java Edition
For Minecraft 1.13 and newer, use this command to give yourself a fern:
/give @p fern 1
For older versions (1.8-1.12), the command is:
/give @p tallgrass 1 2
Bedrock Edition
Use the standard give command with the fern ID.
What You Can Do With Ferns
Ferns are mostly for decoration. They work well for:
- Building natural-looking gardens and landscapes
- Decorating biome-specific builds
- Adding detail to jungle or taiga areas
- Using in potted plant decorations
- Composting for bone meal
Similar Plants and Blocks
If you’re looking for other grass-like blocks, check out seagrass, tall grass, large ferns, and the various flowers available in different biomes.