≡ Menu

LEGO Plants from Plants set review & thoughts

As we discussed a few days ago (see: August 2018 – New LEGO Sets & Promotions), from August 1-14, you can get a free #40320 LEGO Plants from Plants set with purchases of $35 or more. This is the first set that includes pieces made from sugarcane, as it was announced in the LEGO Plants from Plants – Sustainable LEGO press-release. I myself was very curious about these pieces, so as soon as I got the set, I opened the box to examine them. 🙂

Knowing LEGO’s great attention to detail and excellent quality control, I wasn’t surprised to find that the pieces looked and felt exactly the same as all my previously acquired plant pieces. What I did find surprising though is the large number of plants that were included in the box. After all, this is a freebie, with a low minimum purchase threshold. You get four palm leaves (#6148), two small cone-shaped pine trees (#2435), three prickly brushes (#6064), four small lime-green leaves (#2423), and sixteen bamboo leaves/small plants (#30176). That’s twenty-nice plant pieces in total!

There is also a pamphlet in the box with the following information in four languages: Congratulations, you ‘re one of the very lucky builders to receive a limited-edition exclusive box of the first big milestone in the LEGO Group’s journey to use sustainable materials in all our core products and packaging by 2030. These classic botanical LEGO elements are available for the first time in brilliant lime-green color, as well as our LEGO green, and are made from plastic which is produced using sugarcane. The elements are compatible with the first ever LEGO bricks made 60 years ago and are an example of our continued commitment to innovation while staying true to the quality, play experience and durability that is at the heart of the LEGO system. With these cool new elements, you can build your own Plantus Maximus and join our mission to protect the planet. Build, play and share at LEGO.com/PlantsFromPlants.

In case you are wondering who is Plantus Maximus, he is just a friendly giant created from plant elements and used in the Plants from Plants campaign. There are a bunch of other fun characters to help introduce the new plant pieces to children with some additional interesting information. The above-mentioned LEGO.com/PlantsFromPlants website is a great resource to learn more, and below, I have included JANGBRiCKS’ review about the set.

I’m very pleased with the #40320 LEGO Plants from Plants set. It combines fun, education, and a freebie all into one product. The only thing I found a little odd is that the box has a thumb push opening printed at the back of the box (common in small LEGO sets), but it actually can’t be opened that way. Instead, you need to cut the tape open. Probably just a little mishap in the box design department.

The #40320 LEGO Plants from Plants set is available free with any orders of $35 or more within the dates mentioned above (or while supplies last) at official LEGO stores and the Online LEGO Shop.

What do you think? Have you gotten your free sugarcane plants yet? How do you like them? Do you have any concerns about the new material? Feel free to share and discuss in the comment section below! 😉

And you might also like to check out the following related posts:

{ 26 comments… add one }
  • brickmaster August 8, 2018, 11:11 AM

    Thanks for the informative review. The only thing we don’t know and is still a concern is the longevity of these pieces. Will they last as long as the traditionally made pieces?

    • admin August 8, 2018, 2:05 PM

      I’m fairly certain that they heavily tested for any longevity issues that may arise. But you can also do your own test by keeping some of these pieces separately from the rest of your collection, and see how they perform on the long term.

    • Xevo August 8, 2018, 2:59 PM

      They are chemically identical to the old ones, so not sure why they would have any longevity issues. The only change was using a plant-based source instead of a petroleum-based source for one of the chemicals.

      • admin August 8, 2018, 3:16 PM

        Xevo, thanks for that. Good info.

  • sammy August 8, 2018, 1:20 PM

    I got a box of these already, and I was also surprised how many pieces were included. Like admin said, the pieces are exactly the same as the earlier ones. You can’t tell the difference.

  • Hayato August 8, 2018, 1:49 PM

    We are very curious about these. Time to stop by at the lego store!

  • Jay - Mouth of Lightning August 8, 2018, 2:03 PM

    Hey it’s been awhile 😁 glad to see that this website is still up and running! Also I just bought the Kendo Jay poly bag booster pack off eBay lol I now have 20/26 series 2 ninjago spinner sets! I finally finished my ZX collection when I caved and bought Kai ZX for 20 bucks a few months ago. so yeah… I still love those ninjago spinners 7 years later!

    • admin August 8, 2018, 2:14 PM

      OMG, Jay???!!! Long time no see!!! The original spinners are also my favorites. They were simple, but worked really well, and were fully customizable. Some of the newer Ninjago spinners and flyers are too complex for my taste. Anyway, nice to have some of the old-timers like yourself check in from time to time! Hope life is treating you well. 🙂

      • Jay - Mouth of Lightning August 8, 2018, 2:40 PM

        Throwback to when I would spend my days spamming every comment section on here 😂 I agree though, the new flying spinner things are kinda laaame I really wish they had just kept making normal spinners with battle cards cause that was just the best thing ever!! It’s somehow never gotten boring even after so many years…can’t wait to introduce my future kids to it someday 😜 life has been very good for me especially this past year! Starting my senior year of high school in 5 days :)) I hope you’ve been well too!

        • admin August 8, 2018, 2:44 PM

          Very good to hear that you have been well. Keep being awesome! High-school can be tricky and requires bravery! You might need to use some of that lightning Spinjitzu power! 😀

  • Stephen August 8, 2018, 3:15 PM

    I would be more impressed with Lego’s care for the planet if they didn’t pack my latest purchase in a bed of plastic air pillows.

    • admin August 8, 2018, 3:18 PM

      They do sometimes use excessively big boxes and lots of pillows. Interestingly, neither of them are very good at protecting the sets from getting crushed. Both the box and the pillows are reusable though, and my cat approves them too. 🙂

  • Håkan August 8, 2018, 5:13 PM

    If they’d revive the cypress, I’d buy it!

    • admin August 8, 2018, 7:19 PM

      OMG! Me too! I have one lone cypress tree I paid a fortune for. It’s not even crooked (which is the reason LEGO discontinued them).

    • DavidH August 8, 2018, 7:39 PM

      Oh! The old cypress trees! Yes, please! Maybe the new plastic will allow to make them again?

      • admin August 8, 2018, 10:19 PM

        Hm… not sure about that. LEGO probably long retired the old mould… but I’m happy to be proven wrong and see the cypress trees back! 😀

        • Håkan August 9, 2018, 6:28 AM

          …and there’s no evidence the new formula would be less prone to crooking, anyway… =/

          • admin August 9, 2018, 10:52 AM

            Yes, that’s true as well. Although they now have the technology to make elements that combine both rigid and softer plastic. They could make the core/trunk more digit, and the rest softer plastic.

  • Rob August 9, 2018, 10:10 AM

    I gotta give Lego credit and their long standing goal of quality. I think under normal circumstances of a company using alternative materials for their product my first thought would be ‘Ugh, there goes the product’. Hope this new material works well for them, especially for the long term. Given I have elements from the 70’s that fit today’s ones perfectly I think they can do it! 😉

    • admin August 9, 2018, 10:54 AM

      Yeah, I was also first nervous about this. But the fact is, LEGO changed the composition of their plastic many times. We normally don’t hear about it because it’s an internal affair. The only reason this one is so public is because it’s good PR for them too. 😀

      • Rob August 9, 2018, 2:30 PM

        I had a feeling Lego had changed the formula when I returned to Lego from my ‘dark ages’ simply by the sound of the pieces either being spread around or when I dig around in my collection of parts.

        • Håkan August 9, 2018, 3:00 PM

          The biggest change so far has been from Cellulose Acetate in the 50’s and 60’s to Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene from the 60’s onwards…

          • admin August 10, 2018, 12:13 AM

            Yes, and there are also smaller changes, including the fact that LEGO no longer purchases colored pellets. This has created lots of color inconsistencies through the years. There is also something going on with the plastic coming from the factory in Mexico with pieces cracking very easily. Whether this has to do with the plastic composition, or the manufacturing procedure is not know. But this is a well-documented and consistent issue with LEGO sets available in the US (as most of our sets come from the factory in Mexico).

        • admin August 10, 2018, 12:09 AM

          Hm… interesting. I actually noticed that as well. LEGO regularly makes subtle changes to their formula. Current LEGO pieces have a softer, more yielding feel to them, and the colors are also not as saturated.

  • Tapisbis August 9, 2018, 7:26 PM

    Unfortunately not offered in Australia, so yet again we look North in envy. Good move by Lego though, hopefully we’ll see more of it.

    • admin August 10, 2018, 12:14 AM

      Hm… I hope you guys will get the set later. These promotional sets are often offered at different times and different parts of the world.

Cancel reply

Leave a Comment