What does rooted dirt do in Minecraft? All you need to know about its uses

A handful of new blocks were revealed during the Minecraft 2020 live event, one of which was rooted dirt. After being showcased in the stream, rooted dirt made its way to the game in the Minecraft 1.17 Cave & Cliffs update part 1.

The block itself looks very similar to normal dirt blocks, but the texture's color is slightly lighter. They are not as common as dirt blocks but can be found in abundance at the right places. Here's a look at rooted dirt in Minecraft, its properties and its uses.

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Rooted dirt in Minecraft: Everything players need to know

Uses of rooted dirt blocks

Hanging root growing from rooted dirt blocks (Image via Mojang)

The only use of rooted dirt in Minecraft as of now is to grow hanging roots under them. To grow them, players will have to use bone meal on the rooted dirt block. The hanging root can then be broken and collected using a shear.

Converting the block to a normal dirt block also drops the hanging root, but the dirt block cannot be reverted. Players can do this using a hoe on the block.

Apart from these, players can also use them for decoration. Because of their similarity to dirt blocks, they will look great when correctly used to terraform an area.

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Where to find rooted dirt in Minecraft

An azalea tree in the game (Image via Mojang)

Like dirt and mycelium blocks, rooted dirt cannot be crafted. Even though rooted dirt is available in version 1.17, it will start generating naturally after the 1.18 update.

For now, players can obtain them by trading with wandering traders, using commands, or using creative mode. Once the 1.18 update has been released, it will generate under the azalea trees. A stack of rooted dirt can naturally generate under a single tree.

If an azalea is grown using bone meal, it will always generate one rooted dirt block. When the player grows it above a moss block, that block is converted into rooted dirt.

For those unaware, the azalea trees are a new type of tree that will spawn above the lush caves in the upcoming 1.18 Caves & Cliffs update. Players will be able to mine rooted dirt blocks using any tool or item. Unlike farmland blocks, they do not become dirt when a block is placed above them.