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I would expect a druid to be able to tend to a damaged or blighted plant using magical means, as at level 1 they are granted the spell Cure Wounds. Also various woodland type magical creatures similar to Dryads that are all about love and healing and protecting the forest.

However, Cure Wounds targets a 'Creature'. Does a non-magical plant count as a creature for the purposes of the spell? Or is there another way?

Healing a plant would be for example, curing wounds made into a tree by an axe if a person was interrupted while felling the tree, snapped stems, and non-magical disease like blight.

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We need to determine what can target and/or interact with plants.

Spells and equipment/objects in DnD usually target either creatures or objects. To what category do plants belong has already been discussed here: Are plants creatures or objects. The answer argues that "ordinary" plants are objects.

There are competing answers that argue otherwise (Can Mending be used on plants?)

Since there is no precise definition of what creature is in the rules (What is the definition of "creature" and is it used consistently?), there is RAW ambiguity about what spells/abilities can interact with "ordinary" nonmagical plants.

Plants as objects

In my opinion, this is a more reasonable option. A common characteristic of creatures is that they have agency and ability to interact with their environment willfully. Plants have minimal ability to do that compared to animals and other things explicitly defined as creatures. Also, there is somewhat of a precedent for this (Gulthias Tree in Tales from the Yawning Portal).

Plants as objects can then be "repaired" by spells that can repair objects. Here mending comes to mind.

They would also follow the rules for interacting with objects, as described in DMG, p. 246.

Plants as creatures

Some magical plants are already creatures (Awakened Tree) and, therefore, can be interacted with as any other creature (this would include healing spells unless the spell specifically states otherwise, or even "feeding" them potions of healing).

Looking at all plants as creatures would work the same way, however, a problem would arise where there are no stat blocks for them and, therefore, no AC/HP values.

Plants as "neither"

Of course, you can also rule that plants are neither objects nor creatures. In that case, the only way to interact with them would be something that specifies plants, like the druidcraft cantrip

You instantly make a flower blossom, a seed pod open, or a leaf bud bloom.

or plant growth. However, I am not aware of any equipment or spells that would specifically repair/heal damage to plants.

Broader lore discussion

The previous explanation talks about what is defined in the mechanics of the game and what a player character (or NPC) can do based on defined spells/abilities/equipment.

When defining a spell PHB, p.201 says

Uncounted thousands of spells have been created over the course of the multiverse's history, and many of them are long forgotten. Some might yet lie recorded in crumbling spellbooks hidden in ancient ruins or trapped in the minds of dead gods. Or they might someday be reinvented by a character who has amassed enough power and wisdom to do so.

The spells defined in PHB are just a fraction of spells available to players or spells that have defined mechanical effect in the game. It is likely that spells that heal plants that druids can use exist, they are just not mechanically defined in the rules of D&D 5e.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Could you not also rule that plants are both? \$\endgroup\$ Nov 19, 2019 at 14:24
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Medix2 if you could, you would just get all benefits and options, and all problems, from both plants as creatures and plants as objects, so I don't see any benefit in discussing it separately. I you see any specific topic that would behave differently than a simple sum of both option, can you tell us what is it? \$\endgroup\$
    – Mołot
    Nov 19, 2019 at 14:33
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Medix2 This has been discussed here: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/114722/… but besides that, I agree with Molot \$\endgroup\$
    – Deeps
    Nov 19, 2019 at 14:59
  • \$\begingroup\$ The way the answer is written seems like it's meant to be a list of options and it leaves out the "both" option. Leaving it out basically says "it can't be both" \$\endgroup\$ Nov 19, 2019 at 15:54
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Medix2 that is correct, I believe that based on the rules a plant can be either creature, object or neither but not both. Of course, any DM can rule anything but I don't see any rule support for "both" option whereas I see support for the other rulings. ( I might change the answer to reflect that ) \$\endgroup\$
    – Deeps
    Nov 19, 2019 at 16:05
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While ordinary healing spells don't explicitly target plants, it would be on you and the DM to figure something out. What about a restauration spell or an alternative wizard spell?

Restauration could remove sicknesses of the plant or mold, a wizard spell could transmute or mend plants. But I suppose something like plant growth makes the most sense. It explicitly says that it invigorates plant life.

Plant growth. This spell channels vitality into plants within a specific area.[...] (Basic Rules , pg. 266)

Last but not least, plants are known for being able to regenerate. In Storm Kings Thunder there is a special tree with a regeneration ability but even without one, you could consider time having a regenerative effect on living plants.

You could just make a nature or survival check to find a good spot to put the plant into the ground and water it appropriately. Then wait a few days. Or make a nature check to mend the wound of a tree with the right materials prevent the tree from dying.

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