What was the first living plant sign Noah received after sending birds from the Ark?

The first living plant sign Noah received after sending birds from the Ark was an olive leaf. In Genesis 8:11, the dove returned in the evening with a freshly plucked olive leaf, showing Noah that the waters had receded.

The olive leaf is a specific detail in the bird sequence. Noah first sent a raven, then released a dove that returned without a place to rest. After seven days he sent the dove again, and its return with the leaf indicated that vegetation was visible above the floodwaters.

A later release of the dove produced no return, which Noah interpreted as evidence that the land was becoming dry. The passage does not say that the dove brought a branch from a fig, cedar, or palm tree.

The olive branch later became a widespread symbol of peace, though that broader symbolism developed through later cultural and religious traditions rather than being the only meaning of the Genesis passage.