History Main / FertileFeet

* PlayedForDrama in ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'' episode "For the Future". [[spoiler:Plants start sprouting around Willow's feet because her attempts to repress her own issues and act as TheReliableOne for her friends [[PowerIncontinence is causing her magic to go haywire]]. Eventually, it gets so bad that she, Gus, and Hunter are ensnared in tomb of vines that only go away when Gus and Hunter convince her to stop holding in her pain.]]

* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' of Creator/AAPessimal, Apricity Brabble is a young Lancre witch who is more at home with the long slow cycles of green growing things than she is with people. She gives creative thought to the interplay between the anthropomorphic personalities of the Wintersmith and the Summer Lady, and wonders where the two intermediate seasons of Spring, when you plant seeds, and Autumn, when you harvest the crop, fit into the scheme of things. A Witch, in tune with the cycles of life and of plant growth, finds this thought can turn her into an avatar of both. She discovers [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12650047/51/Strandpiel she can do the fertile feet thing]] -- but only with things like oats, barley, wheat and spelt. [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13797645/30/Strandpiel-Book-Two Later on]] Apricity discovers that the Wintersmith and the Summer Lady [[note]] or, more accurately, the larger Anthropomorphic Principles of which they are but partial manifestations[[/note]] have heard about her ideas concerning Spring and Autumn. Apricity then becomes, for as long as it needs, the Avatar of spring and is tasked with running through the world, scattering seeds and heralding the Summer. The large hint is dropped that she will need to do it all again in six months' time, this time as Autumn.

* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' of Creator/AAPessimal, Apricity Brabble is a young Lancre witch who is more at home with the long slow cycles of green growing things than she is with people. She gives creative thought to the interplay between the anthropomorphic personalities of the Wintersmith and the Summer Lady, and wonders where the two intermediate seasons of Spring, when you plant seeds, and Autumn, when you harvest the crop, fit into the scheme of things. A Witch, in tune with the cycles of life and of plant growth, finds this thought can turn her into an avatar of both. She discovers [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12650047/51/Strandpiel she can do the fertile feet thing]] -- but only with things like oats, barley, wheat and spelt.

** ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'': Landorus, while he [[FogFeet technically doesn't have feet]] can emit energy from his tail that immensely fertilizes barren land.

* In ''VideoGame/TheSims2'', sims have this effect for the duration of the LovePotion.
* In ''VideoGame/TheSims3'', Plantsims will leave behind a trail of grass and flowers when walking.
* In a similar vein to this trope, Atlantean civilizations worshiping Gaia in ''VideoGame/AgeOfMythology'' (the "Titans" expansion) will have lush greenery grow outward from their buildings, which will prevent enemy civilizations from building too close by.
* According to her official profile, Lily White of ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' can make flowers bloom with her mere presence, being the embodiment of spring and all. However, the actual {{Youkai}} of flowers, Yuka Kazami, is less FriendToAllLivingThings and more AxCrazy.

* Gaihla from ''VideoGame/BattleRealms'' has these, and you can exploit the game's unique take with IdleAnimation and put her near your rice fields to help them grow faster. It's ''especially'' helpful in snowy stages.
* One of the secret stars in the Supermassive Galaxy in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'' has Mario doing this. You have to cover the entire planet with flowers to get a star.

* In ''Manga/OnePiece'', Admiral Ryokugyu has this as part of his powers after having eaten the [[GreenThumb Mori Mori no Mi]] (Woods-Woods Fruit). When he travels to Wano, the PollutedWasteland that used to be Udon is filled with plantlife as he walks towards the Flower Capital.

* One of the features of the ''World of Warcraft'' card game -- Item cards. They can provide you rare items in-game. Two of them has said effect: Trinket "Path of Illidan" which leaves green fire footprints as you walk and "Path of Zenarius (Cenarius?)" that make flowers (and grass) appear as you walk.

* In ''ComicBook/Trinity2008'', the transformed ComicBook/{{Superman}}, ComicBook/{{Batman}} and ComicBook/WonderWoman cause life to return to Europe.

* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' of Creator/AAPessimal, Apricity Brabble is a young Lancre witch who is more at home with the long slow cycles of green growing things than she is with people. She gives creative thought to the interplay between the anthropomorphic personaltiies of the Wintersmith and the Summer Lady, and wonders where the two intermediate seasons of Spring, when you plant seeds, and Autumn, when you harvest the crop, fit into the scheme of things. A Witch, in tune with the cycles of life and of plant growth, finds this thought can turn her into an avatar of both. She discovers [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12650047/51/Strandpiel she can do the fertile feet thing]] -- but only with things like oats, barley, wheat and spelt.

* The Nature Elemental from ''Film/HellboyIITheGoldenArmy'' subverts this trope, since it's a DesignatedVillain (but also [[LastOfHisKind last of its kind]]).

* In ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'', Behemoth, the mammoth-like Titan, is said to have restored the growth of plantlife in its wake, due to its radioactive emissions stimulating their growth.

** A related thing happens to junior witch Magrat Garlick in ''Literature/WyrdSisters''. (Magrat is youngest witch, the Maiden of the trio, a role associated with Spring and fertility.) Faced with the conundrum of a locked and unopenable heavy oak door, she lays a hand on it, concentrates, and restores life-force to the wood causing it to "remember when it was a tree" and to grow, put forth leaves, and bear fruit with acorns. Thus causing the wood to cease being a door and burst its hinges. Granny Weatherwax, the "crone" of the triad, a role associated with Death and Winter, frankly admits she'd have gone about it differently by attacking the stone of the surrounding wall.

* Hannah, [[NatureHero protagonist]] of Meredith Ann Pierce's ''Treasure at the Heart of the Tanglewood'', grows plants appropriate to the season—which usually seem to end up being useful—''in her hair''. She also, as it turns out, brings the seasons with her when she travels, including flowers in spring, grains in summer and falling leaves in autumn. [[spoiler:[[SarcasmMode Surprisingly enough]], she turns out to be [[LivingMacGuffin the girl]] whom both the BigGood and the primary antagonist were after.]]

** All of this is because of the prophecy stating that [[FisherKing the Land is one with the Dragon]]. The spoilage of previous books is because of him moving towards the darkness.

* Briar Moss uses this in Tamora Pierce's ''[[Literature/CircleOfMagic Street Magic]]'' when he has a [[TranquilFury very rational and very controlled]] RoaringRampageOfRevenge. Briar has GreenThumb in asskicking, so when he has enough, he uncorks his power and seeds and plant-based material come to live and sprout in his wake. In broad daylight. Most mages make an effort to fit into normal society, so seeing one obviously not making the effort was a great way to encourage people to get out of his way.

* The cover of P.J. Hoover's book ''Solstice'' depicts the main character standing atop lush grass whilst surrounded all around by dry and desolate turf, hinting to the reveal later on that [[spoiler: she is the amnesiac Greek goddess Persephone. In accordance to Greek mythology, her absence from Hades and the Underworld is the cause of the titular never ending summer.]]

* Creator/HenrikWergeland due to MemeticMutation. In 1937, Norwegian painter Reidar Aulie painted him on his horse in par With this trope, where he is seen dropping seeds of flowers behind him for children to pick it up. At the sane time, poet Ingeborg Refling Hagen wrote a poem, stating that "when seeds sprouts in our footsteps, it is the growth of Wergeland´s thoughts" (in other words, each and every one can fill the trope when we follow his example).

* There is at least one legend that garlic derives its anti-Vampire properties from that fact that it first sprouted in Satan's footsteps. This is not in Literature/TheBible. Traditionally, vampires were corpses possessed by demons; it reminds them if their host is destroyed, they will return to Hell.
* In the legend of Myth/KingArthurAndTheHolyGrail, [[FisherKing the sickness of the king poisons the land]], and when the king is healed the flowers grow again. The movie ''Excalibur'' is a particularly vivid portrayal of this legend.

* The ''Quintessential Temptress'' has this as an option for the Avatar of Love prestige class, once they get the Lover's Gift class feature. It's listed as the ''Spring Flowers'' Gift, and is the only one of the Lover's Gifts that doesn't actually ''do'' anything inherently useful.

** There's also the Moon And Earth Blessing from the Ink Monkeys, a Lunar Charm that allow them to do the same, on a smaller scale. On the other hand, they can do it as a dramatic action, it doesn't require anywhere near as much essence much less a massive blood sacrifice, and they can do it any day of the year rather than just on the first day of the first month.

** Death wizards invert this: they have abilities that turn their domains into blasted wastelands. Of course, all of the elemental wizards can turn their domains into an embodiment of their element: for example, air wizards can turn verdant grasslands into frost bitten tundras, and freeze over rivers and even the ocean.

** Elizabeth Greene. She even has the added bonus of being a beautiful young woman with unearthly powers and bare feet, nicknamed MOTHER. It just happens that she doesn't spread nice benevolent things like flowers or plants. Instead, wherever ''she'' goes, [[TheVirus the infection]] follows her in a trail of mutagenic, fleshy, diseased tendrils and pustules -- even on steel, concrete or glass.

* In Manga/OnePiece, Admiral Ryokugyu has this as part of his powers after having eaten the [[GreenThumb Mori Mori no Mi]] (Woods-Woods Fruit). When he travels to Wano, the PollutedWasteland that used to be Udon is filled with plantlife as he walks towards the Flower Capital.

* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'': Jonathan Joestar makes a tree blossom by leaning against it, simultaneously reminding us that [[ReadingsAreOffTheScale his power level is off the scale]] and that he is plainly and unambiguously TheHero.

* Belldandy does this in the "Fighting Wings" duology of the ''Manga/AhMyGoddess'' anime. Lind grows a flower in the palm of her hand, showing that even badass [[AnAxeToGrind halberd-wielding]] {{Valkyries}} have a softer side.

* In ''Anime/Pokemon3: Spell of the Unown'', at first it looks like the illusory Entei is making crystals grow from the ground wherever he steps. The plot of the movie involves the Pokémon Unown causing similar crystals to grow, and since they created Entei, it serves to connect the two together. It becomes obvious that the Unown can only affect reality within an area defined by the crystal growth. Hence Entei isn't making crystals grow wherever he steps, the Unown are making crystals grow so Entei can step on them.

* In DC's miniseries ''Trinity'', the transformed Franchise/{{Superman}}, Franchise/{{Batman}} and Franchise/WonderWoman caused life to return to Europe.
%%* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'': Poison Ivy subverts this, over and over.
* In an early issue of ''ComicBook/TheBooksOfMagic'', the protagonist has just defeated the Manticore, the secret plague that's been turning the Fairy world into a desert, but has been badly wounded in the process. His blood is chock-full of magic, though, so even as he's bleeding out stumbling around, his blood droplets restore plant life to the world.

* Shishigami, in ''Anime/PrincessMononoke''. It should be noted that the Shishigami doesn't give just life but both life and death -- and the plants that spring up from its footsteps immediately die and rot away. It seems to make plants go through their life cycle faster. [[spoiler:But when the Shishigami is decapitated, his headless and still-moving body turns into a WalkingWasteland.]]

* An unusual example occurs in the "Stink Bomb" segment of ''Anime/{{Memories}}''. The main character emits a chemical that causes flowers to bloom all around him... while also killing all animal life. He is a neutral character who is utterly unaware that he is even the cause of this.

* In Creator/ZilphaKeatleySnyder's novel Literature/TheChangeling1970'', Martha and Ivy invent a fantasy kingdom of Tree People with [[AmazingTechnicolorPopulation pale green skin]] and dark green hair in which [[FlowersOfNature flowers grow naturally]]. (The Tree People later developed into Snyder's ''Literature/GreenSkyTrilogy'' and, eventually, the ''Below the Root'' video game.)

* In Zilpha Keatley Snyder's novel ''The Changeling'', Martha and Ivy invent a fantasy kingdom of Tree People with [[AmazingTechnicolorPopulation pale green skin]] and dark green hair in which [[FlowersOfNature flowers grow naturally]]. (The Tree People later developed into Snyder's ''Literature/GreenSkyTrilogy'' and, eventually, the ''Below the Root'' video game.)

* Also, in [[Myth/KingArthur Arthurian/Grail legends]], [[FisherKing the sickness of the king poisons the land]], and when the king is healed the flowers grow again. The movie ''Excalibur'' is a particularly vivid portrayal of this legend.

There are a lot of ways to tell the White Hats from the Black Hats, but one pretty good [[IncrediblyLamePun rule of (green) thumb]] is that anyone who can bring flowers into existence just by stepping on soil is ''probably'' not evil. This person is not just a FriendToAllLivingThings but a potent force for good who is very likely a MessianicArchetype, or a PhysicalGod or credible runner-up. At the very least, they have a GreenThumb, and in extreme cases are so powerful and so Good that their aura bleeds out into the world as [[WorldHealingWave a source of healing and growth.]]

** Meanwhile the High Elves have Alarielle the Radiant, Everqueen of Averlorn. Her miniature depicts her barefoot, with roses creeping at her feet as she steps on a discarded piece of armor. When she returns as the Goddess of Life Magic in the sequel game TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar, Alarielle has had this ability turned UpToEleven with even the Wardroth Beetle she rides into battle sprouting shoots and fungus from its carapace.

* An unusual example occurs in the "Stink Bomb" segment of ''Anime/{{Memories}}''. The main character emits a chemical that causes flowers to bloom all around him... while also killing all animal life. He is a neutral character who is utterly unaware that he is even the cause of this.
* Horribly {{invoked}} in ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'', when Ganishka takes on his final form, a tree-man the size of a mountain. He's clueless about his new form, and takes a few steps, noticing that wherever he goes, red flowers bloom in his footsteps (he's stomping on his own soldiers).

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Epic}}'': Queen Tara can grow plants just by waving her hand over a patch of dirt, including areas infected with rot or otherwise depleted. Plants don't pop up in her footsteps but plants do move underneath her to act as stepping stones as needed. This power presumably passes from queen to queen.

* In Zilpha Keatley Snyder's novel ''The Changeling'', Martha and Ivy invent a fantasy kingdom of Tree People with [[AmazingTechnicolorPopulation pale green skin]] and [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair dark green hair]] in which [[FlowersOfNature flowers grow naturally]]. (The Tree People later developed into Snyder's ''Literature/GreenSkyTrilogy'' and, eventually, the ''Below the Root'' video game.)

* In the ''Franchise/{{Barbie}}'' adaption of ''[[WesternAnimation/BarbieInTheNutcracker The Nutcracker]]'', Clara walks through a snowy landscape and wherever her feet step, the snow and ice melts and little purple flowers bloom in the melted footprints. She doesn't notice.

* In ''VideoGame/Haven2020'''s PlayableEpilogue following the "Don't look back" ending, Yu upgrades Kay's [[HoverSkates Hover Boots]] to produce trails of flowers a la ''Terraria''.

This trope can be subverted by switching flowers to thorns. The inverse is WalkingWasteland, where a character's presence causes withering and decay; see also EnemyToAllLivingThings. The character might [[DarkIsNotEvil not necessarily be bad]], but that's a hard case to sell. Villains and neutral characters doing this are usually employing [[GreenThumb power over plants]], possibly from being a NatureSpirit or PlantPerson.