Where To Get Leaf Stones in Pokémon HGSS

All Leaf Stone Locations
	Method	How Often?
1	A phone call gift from Picnicker Gina on Route 34	Repeatable
2	Buy one for 2,500 points at the Pokéathlon Dome on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays	Repeatable
3	A possible first prize for winning the Bug-Catching Contest in Johto’s National Park, after unlocking the National Pokédex	Repeatable
4	A reward for showing Bill’s Grandfather an Oddish.	Once-only
5	On the ground in the Viridian Forest.	Once-only

There are 5 total ways you can obtain Leaf Stones in HeartGold & SoulSilver.

The best early-game option for getting Leaf Stones is at The Pokéathlon Dome. If you don’t mind the minigames, it’s also the most reliable way to farm similar evolution stones too. It is possible to get a Leaf Stone before your third Gym Badge from Picnicker Gina, but the chances are luck dependent and fairly low.

Alternatively, the simplest method for late-game players is to visit Viridian Forest, as there’s a single Leaf Stone here hidden a short distance from the entrance.

You’ll need a Leaf Stone to evolve each of these Pokémon:

Gloom into Vileplume
Weepinbell into Victreebel
Exeggcute into Exeggutor
Nuzleaf into Shiftry

None of these evolved forms appear in the wild, so you’ll need at least four Leaf Stones to fill your Pokédex. The guide will break down all of the Leaf Stone acquisition methods in detail.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Method 1: Getting a Gift From Picnicker Gina
Method 2: Buying Leaf Stones At The Pokéathlon Dome
Method 3: Winning The Bug-Catching Contest After Unlocking The National Pokédex
Method 4: Showing Bill’s Grandfather an Oddish
Method 5: The Leaf Stone on the Ground in Viridian Forest

Method 1: Getting a Gift From Picnicker Gina

Your earliest chance to snag a Leaf Stone comes just before you reach Goldenrod City, on Route 34, but it may require a lot of waiting/good fortune.

First, you need to battle Picnicker Gina and register her phone number in your Pokégear.

To find Gina, start at Goldenrod City’s south gate.

The south gate of Goldenrod City, leading out onto Route 34

From here, head straight down south until you see a Picnicker standing in a puddle in the center of some long grass. This is Gina.

Defeat her in battle and she’ll offer to give you her phone number so she can share items with you that she finds while walking.

Picnicker Gina on Route 34 offering to share items with the player

Now it’s just a matter of waiting.

Keep an eye on your Pokégear and accept whenever she calls you. Sometimes she’ll just call to shoot the breeze – but eventually she’ll summon you to pick up a Leaf Stone she’s found.

You can receive multiple Leaf Stones this way, so keep an eye on that Pokégear!

Method 2: Buying Leaf Stones At The Pokéathlon Dome

Your next available method for getting Leaf Stones comes after beating Gym Leader Whitney in Goldenrod City.

Once you’ve earned your third Gym Badge, you’ll unlock the Pokéathlon Dome at the top of Route 35.

The entrance to the Pokéathlon Dome on Route 35

Enter the building shown above and go through the exit to the left. A path will take you to the Pokéathlon Dome.

The player standing outside the majestic Pokéathlon Dome

You can play minigames with your Pokémon here to earn Athlete Points. You’ll need 2,500 to buy a Leaf Stone.

There’s no single best game to farm for AP. It will depend on your skills, preferences, and which Pokémon you use. Try them all to find your best match.

Once you’ve won 2,500 points, come back on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday. The Athlete Shop in the top-right corner of the building sells Leaf Stones on these days.

The Athlete Shop, found in the top-right corner of the Pokéathlon Dome

There’s no limit to the number of Leaf Stones you can purchase this way.

If you enjoy the Pokéathlon minigames, this is probably the most reliable way to farm them. The rest of the methods are much further into the game and/or require much more luck.

Method 3: Winning The Bug-Catching Contest After Unlocking The National Pokédex

You’ll unlock the second-easiest way to farm Leaf Stones after beating Lance and Johto’s Elite Four for the first time and picking up your National Pokédex from Professor Oak in Olivine City.

Once your Pokédex has been upgraded, the Bug-Catching Contest will award a random evolution stone to the highest-scoring contestant. Leaf Stones are among the possible prizes.

To compete, head to the National Park at the top of Route 35 on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday. The entrance is the same building as the Pokéathlon Dome, pictured in Method 2.

Tip: We created a complete guide to the Bug-Catching Contest, explaining the minigame mechanics in more detail. So check that out if you need help coming in 1st place.

Once inside, speak to the attendant to the left of the door.

The Bug-Catching Contest attendant

Accept his invitation to join the contest. You now have 20 minutes to catch the most impressive Bug-type Pokémon and earn the most points to win.

Points are calculated by looking at:

The rarity of the Pokémon
The Pokémon’s level
The percentage of HP the Pokémon has left when caught (the higher, the better)
The Pokémon’s hidden IV stats

Scyther and Pinsir are the rarest Pokémon, worth the most points. To stand the best chance of winning, aim to catch one of the two at Level 28 while dealing the lowest possible amount of damage to it first.

Bring a Pokémon that can inflict a non-damaging status condition (Paralysis or Sleep) to make things easier.

A wild Pinsir in the Bug-Catching Contest

Once you’ve caught an impressive specimen, talk to the attendant again. The judging will now begin.

The Bug-Catching Contest contestants gathered for the judging ceremony

If you succeeded in coming 1st, you’ll receive a random evolution stone as your reward.

The possible rewards include:

Leaf Stones
Water Stones
Fire Stones
Thunderstones
Sun Stones
Moon Stones
Shiny Stones
Dusk Stones
Dawn Stones
Oval Stones

So you may have to win a few contests before getting the prize you seek.

Luckily, you can play three times each week.

Method 4: Showing Bill’s Grandfather an Oddish

The next way to get a Leaf Stone requires you to have beaten the Elite Four, unlocked the Kanto region, and reached Cerulean City.

You’ll also need an Oddish in your party, so we’ll handle that step first.

Tip: We created a dedicated guide to Bill’s Grandfather’s side-quest if you’d like more information on this.

To catch an Oddish, simply head to Ilex forest during the night time. They make up 60% of the wild encounters here when the sun goes down.

Ilex Forest during the night time, where you can catch a wild Oddish

Once you’ve caught your Oddish and put it in your party, Fly to Cerulean City and leave the city through the north exit onto Route 24 and the golden bridge.

If you haven’t been this way before, there are quite a few tough trainers. Make sure your team are strong enough to handle some consecutive battles.

The north exit of Cerulean City leading to Route 24

After you’ve crossed the bridge onto Route 25, take a right turn at the T-junction.

The correct turn at the T-junction on Route 25

Now carry on east, winding your way through the trees and battling trainers as you go.

At the other end of the trees, you’ll see a small house. This is Sea Cottage, where Bill’s Grandfather lives.

Sea Cottage on Route 25, home of Bill’s Grandfather

Head inside the house and talk to the old man. He will describe a Pokémon in a slightly vague way.

Bill’s Grandfather vaguely describing a Pokémon that he’d like to see

That Pokémon, of course, is Oddish. Show him yours and receive a Leaf Stone as your reward.

If you’re on the hunt for other evolution stones, Bill’s Grandfather has several other vague clues for Pokémon he’d like to see – each with its own corresponding evolution stone reward.

Method 5: The Leaf Stone on the Ground in Viridian Forest

The final way to get a Leaf Stone is the simplest of all.

However, it’s very far into the game.

You’ll need to have reached Viridian Forest. You’ll also need a Pokémon with Cut in your party.

The simplest way to reach this Leaf Stone is from Viridian City, so Fly there. Once you’ve arrived, leave town through the north exit onto Route 2.

The north exit of Viridian City onto Route 2

From here, follow the winding path up north until you reach the entrance to Viridian Forest.

The entrance to Viridian Forest on Route 2

Head inside.

Once you’re in the forest, you should see a Cut-able tree immediately to your left. Use your Pokémon to chop it down.

The Cut-able tree immediately to the left of Viridian Forest’s entrance

Once you’ve walked past the place where the tree used to be, take the first possible north turn, pictured below.

The next north turn possible in Viridian Forest

Continue heading north until you see some stairs to your left. Climb them.

The set of stairs you need to climb in Viridian Forest

From here, it’s as simple as following the loop around.

The Leaf Stone is to the right of the next set of stairs you encounter. You’ll find it in the spot directly in front of our character in the picture below.

The location of the Leaf Stone in Viridian Forest

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Louie Neale

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Full-time freelance copywriter and long-time Pokémon trainer, currently rediscovering my childhood love for the classic games by bringing you all the info you need.

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