Sprout

Sprouts are developmental stages of the plants' growth. They can include stems and flowering stems with flower buds and leaves.

Plants vs. Zombies
In Plants vs. Zombies, they are just available for the Zen Garden, and they can be found on any level after the Zen Garden is unlocked. The plant that is found depends on the area the player found it. For example: If they found it at a Fog Level, it could be any plant that is unlocked during fog stages. After being placed in the Zen Garden, they will ask for watering about two to three times and then they'll ask later for fertilizer, and after they feed them a plant will grow and will give them Gold Coins (if partially grown) or Diamonds (if fully grown).

Marigold Sprout
The Marigold Sprout is the first stage of a Marigold. Unlike other Zen Garden plants, they start out as tiny flowers, while other plants are just green shoots. Crazy Dave gives the player two of them, along with the Zen Garden, when they obtain the Watering Can on level 5-4 of Adventure Mode, and they can buy three of them at his shop every day for $2500 each. He will restock them daily at midnight. The Marigolds are much cheaper, as they yield a diamond when fully grown, whereas the plants found while in levels yield 2 diamonds. Once fully grown, they can be sold for $3000, making them an okay way to make money (growing them to full size and sell them to get about a $1200 profit). Unfortunately, it takes time to grow them to full size and the player can only buy 3 a day. Also, selling other plants yields a much higher profit. It is also a good, cheap way to obtain all Marigold colors.

Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time
In Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time, Sprouts are dropped randomly by zombies or rewarded in Piñatas. When picked up, Sprouts will be added to the player's total Sprout total. They can drop at virtually any time, and over the course of common gameplay may yield one or two sprouts per non-Endless Zone level.

Unlike in the original game, Sprouts can be earned at any time, even when the Zen Garden is full. As with all Zen Garden items, zombies can drop Sprouts since the version 2.1 update.

In the version 2.9.1 update, the option to buy sprouts with gems was introduced and the prices are:
 * 3 Sprouts for 20 Gems
 * 5 Sprouts for 30 Gems
 * 10 Sprouts for 50 Gems
 * 25 Sprouts for 80 Gems
 * 50 Sprouts for 150 Gems

Plants vs. Zombies

 * While the game is loading, four Marigold sprouts come out of the loading bar, right before a Zombie's head.
 * In the iPad version, there is a bug where the marigold sprout's leaves are replaced with Stinky's eyes.
 * Through the User File Format, Zen Garden Editor or PvZ Cheats, a permanent Sprout can be placed in the Zen Garden. This plant will remain a Sprout even when fully grown. It is rendered as a normal Sprout in the ground and as a Marigold Sprout in the Wheel Barrow.
 * In the DS version of Plants vs. Zombies, all sprouts are Marigold Sprouts.
 * Marigold Sprouts are the only known sprouts that have different color variations when fully grown.
 * Marigold Sprouts are the only sprout in which you know what plant it is unless you buy a Gold Mystery Sprout with only one plant you don't have yet.
 * Sometimes, if the sprout will definitely turn into an aquatic plant, the player can move the sprout to the Aquarium Garden. It only occurs with aquatic plants.

Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time

 * Sprouts drop frequently from zombies, at about the same rate as Coins, and substantially more often than Gems.
 * As of v2.9.1, Sprouts are available for purchase with Gems.