diff --git a/art/sprites/FG_Tree_Stages.png b/art/sprites/FG_Tree_Stages.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9b4881d
Binary files /dev/null and b/art/sprites/FG_Tree_Stages.png differ
diff --git a/art/sprites/FG_Tree_Stages.png.import b/art/sprites/FG_Tree_Stages.png.import
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a22b563
--- /dev/null
+++ b/art/sprites/FG_Tree_Stages.png.import
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+[remap]
+
+importer="texture"
+type="CompressedTexture2D"
+uid="uid://bws0uhalpfbln"
+path="res://.godot/imported/FG_Tree_Stages.png-620ce94d31b96e88794dc081cb63ea2e.ctex"
+metadata={
+"vram_texture": false
+}
+
+[deps]
+
+source_file="res://art/sprites/FG_Tree_Stages.png"
+dest_files=["res://.godot/imported/FG_Tree_Stages.png-620ce94d31b96e88794dc081cb63ea2e.ctex"]
+
+[params]
+
+compress/mode=0
+compress/high_quality=false
+compress/lossy_quality=0.7
+compress/uastc_level=0
+compress/rdo_quality_loss=0.0
+compress/hdr_compression=1
+compress/normal_map=0
+compress/channel_pack=0
+mipmaps/generate=false
+mipmaps/limit=-1
+roughness/mode=0
+roughness/src_normal=""
+process/channel_remap/red=0
+process/channel_remap/green=1
+process/channel_remap/blue=2
+process/channel_remap/alpha=3
+process/fix_alpha_border=true
+process/premult_alpha=false
+process/normal_map_invert_y=false
+process/hdr_as_srgb=false
+process/hdr_clamp_exposure=false
+process/size_limit=0
+detect_3d/compress_to=1
diff --git a/scenes/entities/tree.gd b/scenes/entities/tree.gd
index a77d505..8d5919f 100644
--- a/scenes/entities/tree.gd
+++ b/scenes/entities/tree.gd
@@ -81,6 +81,17 @@ const _TREE_VARIANT_W: int = 64
 const _TREE_VARIANT_H: int = 80
 const _TREE_SILHOUETTES: int = 4   # silhouettes per atlas (columns)
 
+## Growth-stage atlas — 128×32, 8 columns × 1 row of 16×32 cells, left-to-right
+## progressively larger trees. Used for sub-mature stages so the player sees
+## a proper sapling → small tree silhouette change instead of a scaled-down
+## mature canopy. Stage MATURE keeps using _TREE_TEXES above (the full 64×80
+## canopy).
+const _STAGE_TEX: Texture2D = preload("res://art/sprites/FG_Tree_Stages.png")
+const _STAGE_CELL_W: int = 16
+const _STAGE_CELL_H: int = 32
+## Atlas column to use per growth_stage. Stage 3 (MATURE) is unused here.
+const _STAGE_COLS: Array[int] = [0, 1, 3, -1]
+
 
 # ── lifecycle ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -94,36 +105,33 @@ func _ready() -> void:
 
 
 ## Rebuild the Sprite2D child to match the current growth_stage.
-## Sapling (stage 0): no Sprite2D — rendered procedurally in _draw().
-## Young (1) → scale 0.35, Growing (2) → 0.65, Mature (3) → 1.0.
-## Any existing "Sprite" child is removed first so re-calls don't stack.
+## Stages 0-2 use _STAGE_TEX (a dedicated growth-stage atlas with progressively
+## larger trees per cell). Stage 3 (Mature) uses the seasonal full-canopy
+## atlases. Any existing "Sprite" child is removed first so re-calls don't stack.
 func _refresh_sprite() -> void:
 	var old := get_node_or_null("Sprite")
 	if old != null:
 		old.queue_free()
-	if growth_stage == STAGE_SAPLING:
-		# No Sprite2D for saplings — all rendering done in _draw().
-		queue_redraw()
-		return
-	var scale_map: Array[float] = [1.0, 0.35, 0.65, 1.0]  # indexed by stage
-	var sprite_scale: float = scale_map[growth_stage]
 	var sprite := Sprite2D.new()
 	sprite.name = "Sprite"
-	var hash_seed: int = tile.x * 31 + tile.y * 17
-	var silhouette: int = hash_seed % _TREE_SILHOUETTES
-	# Independent hash mix for season so neighbouring tiles don't all match.
-	var season: int = ((hash_seed / _TREE_SILHOUETTES) + tile.x * 7 + tile.y * 11) % _TREE_TEXES.size()
-	sprite.texture = _TREE_TEXES[season]
 	sprite.region_enabled = true
-	sprite.region_rect = Rect2(silhouette * _TREE_VARIANT_W, 0, _TREE_VARIANT_W, _TREE_VARIANT_H)
 	sprite.centered = true
-	# Lift the sprite up so its bottom edge sits at the tile's bottom row.
-	# Sprite center is at offset.y; sprite half-height is _TREE_VARIANT_H/2 = 40.
-	# We want bottom edge at +8 (tile bottom) → center at 8 - 40 = -32.
-	sprite.offset = Vector2(0, -32)
-	sprite.scale = Vector2(sprite_scale, sprite_scale)
-	# Render behind pawns/items that are at higher z_index; trees live at z=0.
 	sprite.z_index = 0
+	if growth_stage < STAGE_MATURE:
+		# Sub-mature: 16×32 cell from _STAGE_TEX. Bottom edge at tile bottom
+		# (+8); sprite half-height 16 → centre offset y = 8 - 16 = -8.
+		var col: int = _STAGE_COLS[growth_stage]
+		sprite.texture = _STAGE_TEX
+		sprite.region_rect = Rect2(col * _STAGE_CELL_W, 0, _STAGE_CELL_W, _STAGE_CELL_H)
+		sprite.offset = Vector2(0, -8)
+	else:
+		# Mature: full 64×80 seasonal canopy. Bottom at +8 → centre at -32.
+		var hash_seed: int = tile.x * 31 + tile.y * 17
+		var silhouette: int = hash_seed % _TREE_SILHOUETTES
+		var season: int = ((hash_seed / _TREE_SILHOUETTES) + tile.x * 7 + tile.y * 11) % _TREE_TEXES.size()
+		sprite.texture = _TREE_TEXES[season]
+		sprite.region_rect = Rect2(silhouette * _TREE_VARIANT_W, 0, _TREE_VARIANT_W, _TREE_VARIANT_H)
+		sprite.offset = Vector2(0, -32)
 	add_child(sprite)
 	queue_redraw()
 
@@ -280,19 +288,12 @@ static func from_dict(d: Dictionary) -> Dictionary:
 # ── render ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 func _draw() -> void:
-	# Sapling stage: draw a procedural sprout — no atlas sprite available.
-	# Three small green leaf-dots clustered above a thin brown stem.
-	if growth_stage == STAGE_SAPLING:
-		# Ghost tint for pending-plant saplings so the player can tell it's
-		# waiting for a pawn to build it.
-		var alpha := 0.55 if pending_plant else 1.0
-		# Stem
-		draw_line(Vector2(0.0, 6.0), Vector2(0.0, 0.0), Color(0.35, 0.22, 0.10, alpha), 1.5)
-		# Three leaf dots
-		draw_circle(Vector2(0.0, -2.0), 2.5, Color(0.30, 0.65, 0.20, alpha))
-		draw_circle(Vector2(-3.0, 1.0), 1.8, Color(0.25, 0.58, 0.18, alpha))
-		draw_circle(Vector2(3.0, 0.5), 1.8, Color(0.28, 0.62, 0.19, alpha))
-		return
+	# Ghost tint for pending-plant saplings — apply via modulate on the sprite
+	# child instead of drawing extra overlay shapes here.
+	if pending_plant and growth_stage == STAGE_SAPLING:
+		var s := get_node_or_null("Sprite")
+		if s != null:
+			s.modulate = Color(1, 1, 1, 0.55)
 
 	# Mature / growing stages: canopy + trunk come from the Sprite2D child.
 	# This _draw renders only the chop-progress notch overlaid on the trunk.
diff --git a/scenes/world/world.gd b/scenes/world/world.gd
index d861ba9..d36e2b0 100644
--- a/scenes/world/world.gd
+++ b/scenes/world/world.gd
@@ -98,9 +98,9 @@ const HAUL_SWEEP_INTERVAL_TICKS: int = 100
 # WildGrowth — spontaneous sapling spawning on eligible grass tiles.
 # 1200 ticks = 1 in-game hour at 20 Hz (20 ticks/s × 60 s/min = 1200 ticks/min,
 # but 1 in-game minute = 20 ticks at 1× so 1 hour = 1200 ticks at 1×).
-const WILD_GROWTH_INTERVAL: int = 1200
-const WILD_GROWTH_SPAWN_PROBABILITY: float = 0.30
-const MAP_TREE_LIMIT: int = 60
+const WILD_GROWTH_INTERVAL: int = 3000      # ~2.5 in-game hours between attempts
+const WILD_GROWTH_SPAWN_PROBABILITY: float = 0.12  # 12% chance per attempt
+const MAP_TREE_LIMIT: int = 80
 # Rejection-sample attempts before giving up for this tick.
 const WILD_GROWTH_MAX_ATTEMPTS: int = 10