Exploring the world of Minecraft can be quite a challenge when navigating through dense vines. However, it becomes even more difficult when fallen logs are scattered everywhere, making movement nearly unbearable. Instead of traversing the land like an ordinary mortal, take a page from Tarzan’s book and climb to the canopy using our item of the week—vines. In English, they are referred to as “vine“.
Vine is also known as a platform where users shared short six-second videos, but… wait, that’s not the right page on Wikipedia. Vines in Minecraft are plants that extend from the ground all the way up to the highest points of mountains or trees, reaching areas fully illuminated by sunlight.
Vines were introduced in Minecraft Bedrock during beta version 1.8 alongside gates, glass panes, and ender pearls. They do not count as solid blocks, allowing players to pass through them, although this will significantly slow down your speed. While vines can be easily broken, you can only collect them if you cut them with shears. Additionally, vines can serve as a makeshift ladder, which might be their only advantage. If you need to ascend in natural settings, such as climbing a tree or a hill, vines are perfect for the job.
The primary habitat of vines is the jungle. They are most commonly found hanging from trees or natural canopies. In rarer instances, you might encounter them in swamp biomes and forested mansions. Occasionally, bandits utilize these plants in their watchtowers; it’s unclear why they need them—perhaps for decoration or to aid in climbing to higher places. If you urgently require some vines, it’s advisable to seek out the Wandering Traders, as they typically have a supply.
In the real world, many plants are classified as vines, such as ivy or the well-known grapevine. The closest counterparts to the plants in Minecraft Pocket Edition are lianas. These grow in tropical (and some temperate) forests, cascading down from trees.
Vines play a crucial role in the ecosystem. Monkeys, sloths, lizards, and many other species rely on vines for movement, allowing them to traverse between trees without descending to the ground, where predators may be lurking. Another benefit of vines is their support for trees. During severe hurricanes, weak trees often remain upright thanks to the intertwining of vines with each other and larger trees. While we focus on the positive aspects of vines, the reality is more complex. Young trees enveloped by vines struggle to grow fully, as the dense growth prevents them from reaching upward. It’s not uncommon for weaker plants to perish. However, this is simply nature’s way of enforcing natural selection.
On your next adventure, consider breaking through thick tangles of vines—help save those unfortunate trees from demise. I doubt anyone would object. Well, except perhaps the vines themselves…
