Tree

Trees are large plants that appear with different roles in the Super Mario franchise. Most of the time, they represent decorative elements. However, they are usually climbable and may hide items, especially in 3D platformers. They are also sometimes used as obstacles.

Super Mario 64
Interactive trees first appear in Super Mario 64. Mario can climb on top of them like poles. In different areas, trees take on different appearances, with the castle's back courtyard and the snowy areas having evergreens. In some cases, climbing to the top causes a 1-Up Mushroom to spawn. In Whomp's Fortress, a tree contains Hoot in later missions. In Super Mario 64 DS, Hoot appears in trees in other levels as well.

If Mario long-jumps onto the tree's trunk, then he will swing around it briefly. In the Shindou re-release of the game, he will still swing, but not as far.

Super Mario Sunshine
Trees appear throughout Super Mario Sunshine. They are occasionally covered in goop and will sprout up when it is cleared away, although some in Gelato Beach are simply spawned from spraying in certain areas without the addition of goop. Some trees have a harmless spiky area near the leaves preventing Mario from climbing all the way up one. Pianta Village is centered around a particularly large tree. A baobab-like tree is in Pinna Park and resembles a Pianta head, having some X Graffiti on the front and a papaya dangling from the nose.

Super Mario 3D Land
In Super Mario 3D Land, trees are common in grass-themed levels, like World 1-1. The crowns of the trees in this game have a globe-like shape with several layers of leaves. Mario or Luigi can climb them like in Super Mario 64 and will cause them to shake softly upon doing so. Usually, climbing to the top of a tree will reveal an item, such as a Coin, Super Leaf or 1-Up Mushroom.

Trees with this specific design also appear as background elements in New Super Mario Bros. 2, two Mario stages in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (3D Land and Golden Plains) and in Super Mario Maker 2's Story Mode hub.

New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U / New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
In New Super Mario Bros. U, New Super Luigi U and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, trees appear in various levels in the game, mostly levels in Layer-Cake Desert and Sparkling Waters. In these levels, they act as platforms that can be stood on. Waddlewings can also cling onto trees. If the player performs a Spin Jump on a tree, some coins will appear.

Super Mario 3D World / Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
Trees appear in various levels in Super Mario 3D World, occasionally releasing coins or Mini Goombas when the player climbs to the top. A unique type of tree with a white trunk and a yellow and orange-striped crown of leaves in the shape of a Super Bell also makes multiple appearances throughout the game, primarily in World 1. They appear in varying heights, ranging from short to extremely tall, even taller than Mega Mario at their tallest. Unlike the other tree types, if the player climbs to the top, a Super Bell will often appear and fall to the ground. When climbed on, these trees emit a bell jingling sound (the same happens when the player touches one with the Wii U GamePad). Trees can be destroyed by walking into them while under the effects of a Mega Mushroom.

Trees return in the Bowser's Fury campaign of Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, where the trees' bushes have cat-like ears on the top. In the Lakeside region, they are green; in the Ruins region, they are light blue; and in the Wasteland region, they are red. If Mario rolls into a tree, the player earns a single coin.

Super Mario Odyssey
A fir tree that appears in the Deep Woods area of the Wooded Kingdom from Super Mario Odyssey can be captured with Cappy. This is indicated by a small, green orb on the top of it. If Mario captures the tree, he can move around by moving. This is required in order to obtain a Power Moon in a glowing spot that is hidden underneath the tree. Unlike the more realistic trees in the game, this tree's design greatly resembles that of Super Mario 3D World. Several climbable trees with designs based on those of the trees in Super Mario 64 appear throughout the Mushroom Kingdom.

Super Mario Maker 2
Trees reappear as a course element in Super Mario Maker 2 in the Super Mario 3D World style (marking their first interactive appearance in a 2D game), where their height can be altered in a manner similar to pipes. Their designs vary between level themes, with most themes' trees taking the form of the Super Bell trees seen in the original game. In the Desert theme, they resemble palm trees; in the Underwater theme, they take on a puffed pink appearance; in the Forest theme, they take on a more generic appearance and spherical shape; and in the Snow theme, they resemble snow-covered evergreens. Items can also be placed inside of them, and if the player climbs to the top, the item will pop out of it.

Donkey Kong 64
Climbable trees appear in Donkey Kong 64, notably in Jungle Japes. They typically resemble palm trees and are taller than the ones in Super Mario 64. Their leaves also act as a platform.

Paper Mario series
Interactive trees appear in some of the Paper Mario games, such as Paper Mario. Instead of being climbed, they can be hit with a hammer, potentially causing items to drop from them. In Paper Mario: The Origami King in particular, hammering trees can cause them to drop infinite amounts of Confetti, which is mandatory to progress through the game.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Super Bell trees from Super Mario 3D World reappear in the Wii U version of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker in the same locations in Super Bell Hill, the first level of the Bonus Episode.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie
In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, green bell-shaped trees, referencing the Super Bell trees from Super Mario 3D World, can be seen scattered throughout the Mushroom Kingdom, mainly around Peach's Castle in Toad Town.

Super Mario 3D Land

 * European website bio: Try climbing right to the very top...