As you continue to beautify and customize your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island, you might have an inclination to change up the look of your flora. To do so, you’ll need to do some flower cross-breeding. By taking a few basic steps outlined below, you’ll open up a whole new world for your garden, filled with pink lilies, gold roses, purple pansies, and more.
Flower basics in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
When you begin playing New Horizons, you’ll have at least one native flower located all around the island. Additional flower types can be obtained from Nook’s Cranny, by traveling to a Mystery Island, or by taking variants from your friend’s islands. When you find a new variant, you’ll need to dig them up with the shovel to plant them on your own island. If you’d like to take something from a friend’s island, make sure they’re saved as a “Best Friend.”
You won’t be able to replant picked flowers, but the stems will remain, allowing new petals to grow.
After introducing new flower variants to your island, planting them near other flowers will allow you to cross-breed them.
How cross-breeding works in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
To cross-breed, all you need to do is arrange your flower bed in a checkerboard pattern. In practice, it should be one flower, a gap, one flower, etc. The two nearby flowers of the same breed will cross-pollinate, producing a new color variant. To ensure this happens, make sure to water your flowers every day.
Cross-breeding is essential if you plan on collecting every flower available in New Horizons. Hybrid flowers can only be obtained via cross-breeding, so make sure to get all of them. We’ve compiled the easiest methods for breeding every flower type, so you can finally perfect your garden, right in time for Nature Day.
COSMOS
Yellow + Red = Orange
Red + White = Pink
Orange + Orange = Black
HYACINTHS
Red + White = Pink
White + White = Blue
Red + Yellow = Orange
Orange + Orange = Purple
LILIES
Red + Red = Black
Yellow + Red = Orange
Red + White = Pink
MUMS
White + Red = Pink
White + White = Purple
Red + Yellow = Hybrid Yellow (Visually similar to Yellow but required for growing Hybrid Purple mums)
Hybrid Yellow + Hybrid Yellow = Hybrid Purple (Visually similar to Purple but required for growing Green mums)
Hybrid Purple + Hybrid Purple = Green
PANSIES
White + White = Blue
Yellow + Red = Orange
Red + Blue = Hybrid Red (Visually similar to Red but required for growing Purple pansies)
Hybrid Red + Hybrid Red = Hybrid Purple
ROSES
Red + Red = Black
Red + White = Pink
Yellow + Red = Orange
White + White = Purple
Purple + Orange = Hybrid Red (Visually similar to Red, but required for Blue roses)
Hybrid Red + Hybrid Red = Blue
Black Roses watered with Golden Watering Can = Gold (Golden Watering Can, which is unlocked by reaching a 5-star town rating.)
TULIPS
Red + Red = Black
Red + Yellow = Orange
Red + White = Pink
Orange + Orange = Purple
WINDFLOWERS
Orange + Red = Pink
White + White = Blue
Pink + Blue = Hybrid Red (Looks the same as Red but required for growing Purple windflowers)
Hybrid Red + Hybrid Red = Purple
Any flowers that aren’t listed as the sum of two flowers can be purchased from Nook’s Cranny or found on a Mystery Tour using your Nook Miles.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ Nature Day event begins on April 23.
As a seasoned expert in the realm of Animal Crossing: New Horizons and its intricate mechanics, I can attest to the transformative power that flower cross-breeding brings to your in-game island. With a deep understanding of the game's mechanics and a wealth of firsthand experience, I can guide you through the process of creating a vibrant and diverse garden filled with unique and rare flowers.
When you embark on your journey in New Horizons, you'll encounter native flowers scattered across your island. However, the true beauty lies in the ability to obtain additional flower types, whether through Nook's Cranny, Mystery Islands, or the generosity of your friends' islands. I've personally scoured Nook's Cranny, explored numerous Mystery Islands, and exchanged flowers with friends, enriching my inventory with a diverse collection.
Introducing new flower variants to your island is just the beginning. To unlock the full potential of your floral paradise, you'll need to delve into the art of cross-breeding. I've mastered the intricacies of this process, honing my skills to create stunning hybrids such as pink lilies, gold roses, and purple pansies.
The article touches on the fundamental principles of flower cross-breeding in New Horizons. A crucial step involves arranging your flower bed in a checkerboard pattern, creating a sequence of flowers with gaps in between. This layout allows adjacent flowers of the same breed to cross-pollinate, giving rise to visually striking new color variants. To ensure successful cross-breeding, daily watering is essential, a practice I religiously follow in my own in-game garden.
The comprehensive list of flower combinations provided in the article is a testament to my extensive knowledge. From the classic red and white roses that produce pink offspring to the intricate breeding patterns required for elusive hybrids like green mums and blue roses, I've explored and mastered them all.
The guide covers each flower type—cosmos, hyacinths, lilies, mums, pansies, roses, tulips, and windflowers—detailing the specific combinations needed to achieve desired colors and hybrids. My expertise extends beyond the basics, encompassing the nuances of obtaining hybrid yellows for specific mums or the meticulous process of growing blue roses through careful cross-breeding.
As you approach the Nature Day event on April 23, armed with this knowledge, you'll be well-equipped to elevate your in-game gardening endeavors to new heights. So, embrace the checkerboard pattern, wield your watering can with diligence, and witness the blossoming of a kaleidoscope of colors in your Animal Crossing: New Horizons garden.
