ZenGrove

Grow a plant, one node at a time.

Overview

Grow a plant, one node at a time.

Explore all 45 ZenGrove nodes for Maya with illustrated settings. Shape Cross Section profiles, create multi-way Splits, find properties and build procedural plants.

View product and license details →

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Trunk

Creates the main stems. Arrange them at a point, on a grid, around a ring or across an area, then shape their height, lean and thickness.

Reference updated for ZenGrove 1.0.0-beta.2.

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Tree

Continue from this node

Branches

Whole trees first, stems inside each tree

Tree Root places the tree origins. Trunk creates its complete local pattern at every origin. For example, three tree origins with two trunks at each make six stems.

Point keeps positions together. Grid uses Count X × Count Z and spacing in each direction. Radial places them evenly around a ring. Random fills a centered rectangle. Global Scale affects both the plants and these placement distances.

Tree Root's Pattern Rotation rotates the origin positions. Trunk's Pattern Rotation rotates its local positions and growth directions. Trunk's Orientation, Tilt and Rotate Pattern then shape the stem directions.

Radial Outward uses the direction from each placement center. With coincident Point starts, Rotate Pattern spreads the directions. Radial, Grid and Random placements use their actual positions and hide Rotate Pattern.

Placement

Chooses the stem arrangement at every incoming Tree Root origin. Point puts stems at that origin. Grid makes rows and columns, Radial makes a ring, and Random spreads stems across a rectangle.

Options: Point · Grid · Radial · Random

Default: Point

Count

Sets independent stems per Tree Root origin. Grid uses Count X multiplied by Count Z instead. Three tree origins with two trunks at each produce six stems.

Available when Placement is Point or Radial or Random.

Default: 1

Pattern Rotation

Rotates the local trunk arrangement and stem growth directions around each incoming origin. The random layout stays the same as it turns. This is separate from Tree Root's rotation of the overall tree positions.

Default: 0

Orientation

Up shares one tilt direction. Radial Outward tilts away from each placement center, so Radial, Grid and Random patterns follow their actual positions. Coincident Point starts use Rotate Pattern to spread their directions.

Options: Up · Radial Outward

Default: Up

Tilt

Leans the whole stem away from vertical. Zero points upward; 90 degrees points horizontally.

Default: 0

Shape

Height

Sets stem height before the overall tree scale.

Default: 8

Base Radius

Sets trunk base radius before tree scale.

Default: 0.45

Tip Radius %

Sets tip radius as a fraction of base radius. 0.08 leaves 8% at the tip.

Default: 0.08

Segment Breakup

Adds shallow unevenness along the trunk surface without moving its central path.

Default: 0.08

Deformation

Curvature

Adds curvature to the trunk path. Increase it for a less straight stem.

Default: 0.25

Lean X

Leans the trunk toward positive or negative X.

Default: 0

Lean Z

Leans the trunk toward positive or negative Z.

Default: 0

Geometry

Radial Segments

Sets sides around the trunk. More sides give a rounder main stem.

Default: 12

Length Spans

Sets spans along the branch. More spans allow smoother bends and add geometry.

Default: 12

Advanced

Seed Offset

Changes this node's random variation. Keep the seed and settings unchanged to reproduce the same result.

Default: 0

Placement

Shown example: Placement = Radial.

Placement

Chooses the stem arrangement at every incoming Tree Root origin. Point puts stems at that origin. Grid makes rows and columns, Radial makes a ring, and Random spreads stems across a rectangle.

Options: Point · Grid · Radial · Random

Default: Point

Count

Sets independent stems per Tree Root origin. Grid uses Count X multiplied by Count Z instead. Three tree origins with two trunks at each produce six stems.

Available when Placement is Point or Radial or Random.

Default: 1

Radius

Sets the stem ring's radius. Zero puts every stem at the center.

Available when Placement is Radial.

Default: 3

Pattern Rotation

Default: 0

Placement

Shown example: Placement = Random.

Placement

Chooses the stem arrangement at every incoming Tree Root origin. Point puts stems at that origin. Grid makes rows and columns, Radial makes a ring, and Random spreads stems across a rectangle.

Options: Point · Grid · Radial · Random

Default: Point

Count

Sets independent stems per Tree Root origin. Grid uses Count X multiplied by Count Z instead. Three tree origins with two trunks at each produce six stems.

Available when Placement is Point or Radial or Random.

Default: 1

Size X

Sets the width of the random placement area in X.

Available when Placement is Random.

Default: 6

Size Z

Sets the depth of the random placement area in Z.

Available when Placement is Random.

Default: 6

Pattern Rotation

Default: 0

Placement

Shown example: Placement = Grid.

Placement

Chooses the stem arrangement at every incoming Tree Root origin. Point puts stems at that origin. Grid makes rows and columns, Radial makes a ring, and Random spreads stems across a rectangle.

Options: Point · Grid · Radial · Random

Default: Point

Count X

Sets the number of stems across the grid in X.

Available when Placement is Grid.

Default: 3

Count Z

Sets the number of stems across the grid in Z. Total stems equal Count X times Count Z.

Available when Placement is Grid.

Default: 3

Spacing X

Sets the distance between grid positions in X.

Available when Placement is Grid.

Default: 3

Spacing Z

Sets the distance between grid positions in Z.

Available when Placement is Grid.

Default: 3

Pattern Rotation

Default: 0

Orientation

Shown example: Orientation = Radial Outward · Placement = Point.

Orientation

Options: Up · Radial Outward

Default: Up

Tilt

Leans the whole stem away from vertical. Zero points upward; 90 degrees points horizontally.

Default: 0

Rotate Pattern

Sets the orientation step between coincident Point instances when Orientation is Radial Outward. Other placement modes derive outward direction from each position and hide this control.

Available when Orientation is Radial Outward and Placement is Point.

Default: 137.5

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FAQ

What is ZenGrove used for?

Explore all 45 ZenGrove nodes for Maya with illustrated settings. Shape Cross Section profiles, create multi-way Splits, find properties and build procedural plants.

Which host application does ZenGrove support?

ZenGrove is built for Autodesk Maya and is distributed through AO Studio Tools.

Where can I download ZenGrove?

Download the current AO Studio Tools package from https://aostudio.tools/getthetools.html and install it through AO.Hub.