What is the only tree species explicitly named in the Genesis Flood story?

The story behind the answer

The only tree species explicitly named in the Genesis Flood story is the olive. Genesis 8:11 says that the dove returned to Noah with a freshly plucked olive leaf in its beak.

That leaf is important because it marks a change in the story. The waters had receded enough for a living olive tree or branch to be above water and accessible to the dove. Noah therefore learned that the land was becoming habitable again before he could see the full landscape from the Ark.

Other plants are not identified by species in the narrative. “Gopher wood,” the material used for the Ark, is not a securely identified tree name; it is a rare Hebrew expression. Similarly, the vineyard Noah plants after leaving the Ark appears later, but Genesis does not state a named grape species. The olive is the clear tree reference in the Flood account.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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