According to Genesis, what leaf did the returning dove carry to Noah?

According to Genesis, the dove returned to Noah carrying a freshly plucked olive leaf. Genesis 8:11 says this happened after Noah sent the dove out a second time, providing evidence that the floodwater had receded from the earth.

The olive leaf became a widely recognized symbol of peace, hope, and renewal. In the Genesis story, however, its immediate function is practical: it shows that vegetation was visible again and that the landscape was becoming habitable.

The passage does not say that the dove carried a branch, although artistic depictions often show a substantial twig or sprig. It specifically mentions a freshly plucked olive leaf. The account also distinguishes this return from the dove’s first release, when it came back without a sign because it could find nowhere to rest.