In Genesis, what plant item did the returning dove bring to Noah?

In Genesis, the returning dove brought Noah a freshly plucked olive leaf.

Genesis 8:11 says the dove returned in the evening with an olive leaf in its beak. Noah understood this as evidence that the waters had receded enough for vegetation to emerge or remain accessible. The detail is one of the best-known images associated with the Ark story.

The text does not say that the dove brought a branch, fruit, or an entire twig; it specifically describes a leaf. Later art and popular language often simplify the image into an olive branch, which became a broader symbol of peace.

The dove had already been sent once and returned without a plant. Noah waited seven days before sending it again. After the olive-leaf flight, he waited another seven days and released the dove once more. This time it did not return, providing a further sign that the ground was drying.