How to grow an Animal Crossing: New Horizons money tree

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Animal Crossing: New Horizons may be an escape from reality, but one thing that we can't truly escape is the need for money - or in this case, bells. Lucky for you, in New Horizons, bells grow on trees. Literally.

If you want to get your island a 5-star rating and load up your house with gorgeous knickknacks, you'll need a ton of bells at your disposal. And it turns out, growing a money tree in Animal Crossing: New Horizons isn't all that hard - you just need to know the quick and easy steps to get bells to start sprouting from the ground. Follow this guide and soon you'll be able to literally shake money from trees, which is a heck of a lot more fun than getting stung by wasps if you ask me. 

Want to know how to grow an Animal Crossing: New Horizons money tree? Well, here's how you do it. 

1. Look for glowing spots on the ground

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Daily you will find a glowing spot on the ground somewhere on your island. Dig here and you'll find a bag of bells - 1,000 Bells to be precise. 

2. Plant your Bells

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Rather than putting them straight into your Bell fund, plant your bag of Bells back into the growing spot - it'll say bury rather than plant. A little sapling will appear.

Wait several days and your money tree will grow, giving you three 1,000 Bell bags. You can have several money trees growing at once, you'll just need to keep planting them whenever you see a glowing spot. 

Enjoy!

Sam Loveridge
Brand Director, GamesRadar+

Sam Loveridge is the Brand Director and former Global Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar. She joined the team in August 2017. Sam came to GamesRadar after working at TrustedReviews, Digital Spy, and Fandom, following the completion of an MA in Journalism. In her time, she's also had appearances on The Guardian, BBC, and more. Her experience has seen her cover console and PC games, along with gaming hardware, for a decade, and for GamesRadar, she's in charge of the site's overall direction, managing the team, and making sure it's the best it can be. Her gaming passions lie with weird simulation games, big open-world RPGs, and beautifully crafted indies. She plays across all platforms, and specializes in titles like Pokemon, Assassin's Creed, The Sims, and more. Basically, she loves all games that aren't sports or fighting titles! In her spare time, Sam likes to live like Stardew Valley by cooking and baking, growing vegetables, and enjoying life in the countryside.

Latest in Animal Crossing
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing's "obscure references" were all "localized out completely" before its debut in the West, as Nintendo felt it needed to "change everything"
Anime Life Sim
After unsuccessfully attempting to launch a Monster Hunter clone, this controversial dev is now supposedly releasing an Animal Crossing-like game on PS5
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp trailer screenshto showing a chibi-style female character with bobbed brown hair, a yellow flower atop her head, and a chef-like top, smiling with her arms out
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp's new paid version has finally arrived and is microtransaction-free, but fans already miss the old app
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp trailer screenshto showing a chibi-style female character with bobbed brown hair, a yellow flower atop her head, and a chef-like top, smiling with her arms out
As the free-to-play Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp prepares to go offline, Nintendo reveals more on the paid replacement - including its $20 price tag
Galactic Getaway
This multiplayer life sim is like Animal Crossing in outer space with Mario Party minigames, and it's just what I needed this Steam Next Fest
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp trailer screenshto showing a chibi-style female character with bobbed brown hair, a yellow flower atop her head, and a chef-like top, smiling with her arms out
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp players blast "greedy" Nintendo as new items roll out despite the game's imminent shutdown
Latest in Guides
FC 25
FC 25 Dreamchasers tracker and full UEFA promo guide
Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe "justice must be served" or "killing them isn't justice" Yaya and Mistumune choice
Should you side with Mitsumune or Yaya in Assassin's Creed Shadows?
Pokemon TCG Pocket Shiny Cards
How to get Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon TCG Pocket
Assassin's Creed Shadows money naoe and merchant
How to get money in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Pokemon TCG Pocket Shining Revelry
Pokemon TCG Pocket Shining Revelry release date and details
Assassin's Creed Shadows Naoe in outfit
Best Assassin’s Creed Shadows armor for Naoe and Yasuke