Tiger Plant

Tiger Plant Seed

The Tiger Plant is a hazardous flora species. It is commonly found in rocky areas of the Grassy Plateaus and its caves, while also being present on the backs of adult Reefback Leviathans and among the clusters of Eye Stalks in the Sparse Reef.

It can be harvested for Tiger Plant Seeds by using the Survival Knife or Thermoblade.

Appearance

The Tiger Plant resembles real-life sponges, featuring a cluster of red, tendril-shaped stalks with yellow spikes protruding from it. Its surface is also covered with a dark brown stripe pattern.

Behavior

When the Tiger Plant has a line of sight on a nearby target it will trigger the attack animation and launch its spikes. It will target the player character, and also any medium-sized fauna that enters its targeting range. Tiger Plants will never deliberately attack unoccupied vehicles, structures, smaller fish, or each other.

Each stalk launches a spike aimed towards the target. The spikes leave a thin, white trail as they pass through the water. Tiger Plants aim directly at their target and do not lead their shots, and their spikes are modeled as projectiles with actual flight time rather than as hitscans. As a result, circle-strafing around a Tiger Plant will prevent it from ever scoring a hit. Their shots disappear at a set maximum range, so even if they miss what they are shooting at, it is possible for them to hit something else instead.

It can be a good idea to freeze Tiger Plants using the Stasis Rifle when scavenging the ocean floor within the vicinity of one. As with other plants, the player can also "kill" a Tiger Plant by striking it repeatedly with a knife, though this will require them to dispose of the collected seeds afterward.

Tiger Plant projectiles cannot leave the water if they were fired from an underwater, however, Tiger Plant projectiles that were launched from above the water can enter the water without vanishing, allowing them to attack targets both above and below the water level. If a Tiger Plant is attached to a Reefback that is at the surface, it will almost always not fire, however, some positions on the reefback can trigger it to fire. If it does, the projectiles will usually not actually hit the player, rather vanishing right before them or hitting the reefback and doing nothing, but they can hit the player at certain angles and positions. It can still hit the player by performing its attack animation if they are physically touching it, even if the projectile itself doesn't hit the player. If a nearby Tiger Plant is submerged but the player is above water, the plant will fire at the player but cannot score a hit.

Tiger Plants do not attack the player if they are in the Seamoth, Prawn Suit, or Seabases, however, they can hit them by accident and deal 5 damage to the Seamoth, or a breach to a Seabase. Other effective ways to get rid of them is by ramming them with the Cyclops or Seamoth, or simply using the Prawn Suit Drill Arm.

If the player is using a Prawn Suit with the Propulsion Cannon, the plants can be used as a sort of makeshift weapon. They can still fire while being held by a propulsion cannon, and will attack any of their normal targets while being held. By "aiming" at targets, the player can essentially use the plant as a projectile weapon. This is, however, less effective than simply using small fish or rocks as ammunition.

If its seeds are planted in an Exterior Growbed, they will still be hostile and will attack the player. They will not attack the player when planted inside an Alien Containment, even if the player is present inside the containment.

If the player wears a Reinforced Dive Suit, the projectiles launched by the Tiger Plant will be deflected, doing no damage.

Energy Value

→ = 70

Data Bank Entry

This plant has adapted to sense fluctuations in the water at up to 15m and is capable both of prehensile movement of its tubes, as well as the propelling of thorns at speeds of up to 10m/s.

Although capable of incapacitating small herbivores, this plant lacks carnivorous digestive organs. Would-be predators caught in its defensive perimeter serve as a warning to other herbivores not to approach; and then as they decompose they serve as fertilizer for the tiger plant.

Assessment: Avoid or incapacitate

Gallery

Day-time view

Night-time view

Bioluminescence

A Tiger Plant in the Sparse Reef

The spikes that come off the Tiger Plants

Size comparison with the player

Many early Tiger Plant designs

Initial Tiger Plant sketches

Tiger Plant's model from Sketchfab

Trivia

• The Tiger Plant's original name was "Spike Plant", but it was changed before full release to differentiate it from the Spike Trap. The Spike Trap ended up not being added to Subnautica, but was added to Below Zero, which lacks the Tiger Plant.
• The Tiger Plant is one of only three hazardous flora the player can harvest for seeds, the others being the Acid Mushroom and the Deep Shroom.