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Escape Root is a premium plant in Plants vs. Zombies 2 which is tied with Modern Day Part 2. When planted, he will take ten seconds to arm himself before emerging from the ground. Afterwards, he will transform into either an armed Potato Mine (50%), a Cherry Bomb (15%), a Grapeshot (10%) or an armed Primal Potato Mine (25%) upon contact with a zombie.
The player can switch his place with another plant by simply tapping him, and then the plant the player wishes to swap; doing so will also instantly arm the plant. He is classified as an underground plant, and cannot be planted on the planks in the Pirate Seas or on the minecarts in Wild West. He also cannot switch places with plants on water tiles in Big Wave Beach. He cannot swap a plant using Plant Food, instant-use plants, aquatic plants or vine plants.
Origins

His name is a parody of "escape route", referring to his ability to swap with other plants away from danger, and "root".
His yellow miner hat costume is a reference to the fact that he is an underground plant capable of digging.
Almanac entry
Escape Root
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Escape Root
SUN COST: 50
RECHARGE: 20
TOUGHNESS: 300
DAMAGE: 1800
ARMING TIME: 10
RANGE: Touch
FAMILY: Bombard-mint
Escape Roots explode on contact, and can be swapped with other plants that are in danger.
Special: tap Escape Root and another plant to swap them
The other plants put on a big surprise party for Escape Root last week, but he did his thing and suddenly it was a surprise party...FOR THEM!
Upgrades
Plant Food effect

Plant Food ability summons a Grapeshot and a Potato Mine
When fed Plant Food, Escape Root will summon two armed copies of himself next to a zombie one at a time. If there are no zombies, Escape Root will summon two explosives on himself. The summoned copies will instantly despawn and the spawned explosive plant will instantly trigger. While the effect is active, Escape Root cannot use his swap ability.
Bombard-mint effect
When boosted by Bombard-mint, Escape Root's arming time will be reduced to 5 seconds and its explosion damage is increased to 2400 DPS (Potato Mine) / 2400 DPS (Cherry Bomb) / 2400 DPS (Grapeshot) / 3200 DPS (Primal Potato Mine). His Primal Potato Mine explosion area will be larger as if he was at level 10. Bombard-mint will do nothing if Escape Root is at level 10.
Level upgrades
Level | Seed Packets | Coins | Upgrades | ||||||||||
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Sun Cost | Recharge (Sluggish) |
Starting Recharge |
Toughness (Typical) |
Damage* (Massive) |
Area*^ | Arming Time (Mediocre) |
Range | ||||||
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1 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 20 seconds | 15 seconds | 300 dps | 1800 dps | 2400 dps | 1800 dps | 1800 dps | Normal | 10 seconds | Touch |
2 | 10 | 1,000 | 19 seconds | 14 seconds | 350 dps | 1900 dps | 2400 dps | 1900 dps | 1900 dps | 10 seconds | |||
3 | 25 | 2,500 | 19 seconds | 14 seconds | 400 dps | 2000 dps | 2400 dps | 1900 dps | 1900 dps | 9 seconds | |||
4 | 50 | 5,000 | 18 seconds | 13 seconds | 450 dps | 2100 dps | 2800 dps | 2000 dps | 2000 dps | +1.13x | 9 seconds | ||
5 | 100 | 10,000 | 25 | 18 seconds | 13 seconds | 550 dps | 2100 dps | 2800 dps | 2000 dps | 2000 dps | 8 seconds | ||
6 | 200 | 20,000 | 17 seconds | 12 seconds | 600 dps | 2175 dps | 2800 dps | 2100 dps | 2100 dps | 8 seconds | |||
7 | 400 | 30,000 | 17 seconds | 12 seconds | 650 dps | 2250 dps | 2800 dps | 2200 dps | 2200 dps | 7 seconds | |||
8 | 800 | 50,000 | 16 seconds | 11 seconds | 700 dps | 2325 dps | 2800 dps | 2300 dps | 2300 dps | 7 seconds | |||
9 | 1,200 | 75,000 | 15 seconds | 10 seconds | 800 dps | 2325 dps | 2800 dps | 2300 dps | 2300 dps | 6 seconds | |||
10 | 1,600 | 100,000 | 15 seconds | 10 seconds | 900 dps | 2400 dps | 3200 dps | 2400 dps | 2400 dps | +1.25x | 5 seconds |
*Applies to both normal and Plant Food states.
^The explosion area of it released.
Mastery upgrades
- Chance to Boost
- Damage Pierce
Level upgrades (China only)
Costumed (China only)
When costumed and fed by Plant Food, Escape Root will summon three copies of himself instead of two that will turn into a random explosive plant.
Strategies
As his own name says, this plant can be used on some levels where there are large hordes so the player can protect a powerful plant, simply by swapping place with them. The player can use Sweet Potato to gather many zombies at a single place and later swap place with this plant in order to instantly destroy the zombies. He is more accurate if all enemies are in the same location, as there is a 50% chance for him to spawn a Potato Mine which has a 1-tile AOE, while all others have an AOE of at least 3x3. The player does not need to worry about his explosives being normally inaccessible, as their stats scale with that of Escape Root himself. A notable disadvantage to this is that Bombard-mint has no effect on the spawned explosives.
A thing to remember about the Escape Root is that his swap ability is reusable. This is useful for moving a powerful plant into another lane multiple times. As a result, this plant could be used as a minecart in other worlds and with plants that cannot be planted on minecarts. A good example is Ultomato, as it is impractical to plant one on every lane yet could be powerful when moved to other lanes.
The player could use this well with Grimrose. If the player plants a Grimrose (which would be next to a Moonflower) on a lane with a zombie and no other zombies come, the player could use Escape Root to swap Grimrose to a lane where there are zombies. Pea Pod also works well with Escape Root, as players can swap a full Pea Pod to other lanes.
Another strategy is to plant Escape Root where zombies will not be able to eat him, then placing a cheap plant such as a Sunflower near the zombies (but not too close) as something to switch with. Switch the plant and Escape Root. Since the Escape Root will automatically be armed and swapping positions, any zombie near him will blow up by one of the explosive plant, all that can easily wreak havoc among zombies. Using plants such as Spikeweed and Spikerock to switch with is an excellent idea as well since they cannot be eaten, and when they are needed back, the player only needs to plant another Escape Root. As multiple high-leveled Spikerocks can be summoned for free, this strategy can be better exploited with Spear-mint.
Additionally, on levels with endangered plants, Escape Root can be used to move them, which can give the player an easier time as long as it is swapped to another tile where they aren't as vulnerable. This is especially useful if the endangered plants are explosive plants, such as Potato Mines, and can easily die. Bringing the endangered plants to the back with offensive plants in front of them will help make sure the player has a higher chance of winning the level.
It is not recommended to use Escape Root in levels where you cannot lose plants since when he despawns, the explosive plant is also registered as a plant loss.
Gallery
Plants vs. Zombies Wiki has a gallery for Escape Root.
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In other languages
Language | Name | Description |
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Escape Root | ||
逃脱树根 | lit. "Escape Tree Root" | |
Racine fugitive | ||
Fluchtwurzel | ||
Radice d'evasione | ||
Fugaíz | ||
Raíz de escape |
Trivia
- Before the 4.6.2 update, he was not able to swap endangered plants.
- There is a glitch where he does not spawn an explosive plant when a zombie is near. Instead, just as when he has not armed yet, he gets chewed on.

A sheep is created on top of an Escape Root
- There is a glitch where Wizard Zombie can still transform plants being moved by Escape Root. This results in a sheep appearing on top of him. The plant that was turned into a sheep disappears after the Wizard Zombie dies, while the Escape Root is left unaffected.
- There is a glitch where a Gargantuar Prime is unable to destroy him. When this happens, he is unable to transform. Every time the explosive plant is about to detonate, he is smashed and turns back into himself. This leads to the Gargantuar repeatedly smashing him.
- If the player allows a zombie to arm him, but then drags him to an empty tile, he glitches and will be invincible to any zombie that does not destroy a plant. At this point, he cannot be dug up nor can switch places with another plant, but still can be switched using a non-glitched Escape Root, or get pushed by Mecha-Football Zombies if there is a plant in front of it, unless the said plant in question is a non-glitched Escape Root.

Escape Root without dirt (glitch)
- If the player uses Plant Food on him when there is one zombie on the screen and there are no other zombies after he explodes, the boosted Escape Root will spawn another one on himself. After he explodes, his dirt cannot be seen.
- Like Potato Mine and Primal Potato Mine, he does not activate if a flying zombie hovers over him.
- If a Plant Food fed Infi-nut switches places with Escape Root, the force field remains on the same place. Destroying or shoveling the Infi-nut does not remove the shield.
- The outdated almanac description is likely a leftover from development, as Escape Root never explodes and simply despawns, leaving another explosive plant in his place.
- In a level with a limited number of plants, when the number reaches the maximum number, the player will no longer be able to swap another plant using him. His Plant Food ability will also spawn new Escape Roots only on himself.
- He can be eaten just right after he is finished swapping with another plant, causing him not to spawn the explosive plant.
- He is the first premium plant that is capable of spawning another premium plant, being Grapeshot. The second is Witch Hazel, which used to spawn Toadstool when fed Plant Food.
- If he is swapped with a Puff-shroom then another Puff-shroom is fed Plant Food, he will stop swapping and the swapped Puff-shroom will become invisible, but the invisible Puff-shroom will still attack and Mecha-Football Zombies will push it across (if there are other plants), however other zombies will not attack the invisible Puff-shroom.
- It is possible for Hunter Zombie to freeze a plant when the transfer occurs. Escape Root will move the frozen plant normally, though.
- If the plant is destroyed before the transfer can end, however, he will do nothing.
Specific to Chinese version (China only)
- Exploding plants created by Escape Root will use the English text without translating into Chinese. It shares this trait with R.A.D Missiles's costumed Plant Food effect.
- His level 2 and level 3 upgrades are exactly the same as Primal Potato Mine.
- He can be planted on planks and on minecarts, unlike the international version.
- This also enables the ability to swap other underground plants to planks, minecarts, etc.
- He can swap with Coffee bean, Jackfruit, even the small cactus ball that produced by level 5 Cactus. If the Escape Root is on the pile which had plants on, you can swap it with other plants. You can use them to plant plants in a pile as more as possible.
See also
V · T · E | L · G |
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Plants vs. Zombies | |
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Day | Peashooter · Sunflower · Cherry Bomb · Wall-nut · Potato Mine · Snow Pea · Chomper · Repeater |
Night | Puff-shroom · Sun-shroom · Fume-shroom · Grave Buster · Hypno-shroom · Scaredy-shroom · Ice-shroom · Doom-shroom |
Pool | Lily Pad · Squash · Threepeater · Tangle Kelp · Jalapeno · Spikeweed · Torchwood · Tall-nut |
Fog | Sea-shroom · Plantern · Cactus · Blover · Split Pea · Starfruit · Pumpkin · Magnet-shroom |
Roof | Cabbage-pult · Flower Pot · Kernel-pult · Coffee Bean · Garlic · Umbrella Leaf · Marigold · Melon-pult |
Upgrades | Gatling Pea · Twin Sunflower · Gloom-shroom · Cattail · Winter Melon · Gold Magnet · Spikerock · Cob Cannon |
Others | Imitater · Explode-o-nut · Giant Wall-nut · Giant Sunflower · Giant Marigold · Sprout · Tree of Wisdom |
Plants vs. Zombies: Social Edition | |
---|---|
Normal | Peashooter · Sunflower · Cherry Bomb · Wall-nut · Potato Mine · Chomper · Repeater · Puff-shroom · Scaredy-shroom · Snow Pea · Sun-shroom · Fume-shroom · Grave Buster · Lily Pad · Squash · Spikeweed · Tangle Kelp · Torchwood · Sea-shroom · Jalapeno · Coffee Bean · Tall-nut · Pumpkin · Magnet-shroom · Blover · Melon-pult · Cactus |
Premium | Pickled Pepper · Icy Fume-shroom · Fire-shroom · Flamewood · Vine-nut · Gatling Pea · Twin Sunflower · Gloom-shroom · Winter Melon · Super Chomper · Future Star · Calm Chuck |
Plants vs. Zombies Adventures | |
---|---|
>Normal | Peashooter · Sunflower · Aspearagus · Wall-nut · Cherry Bomb · Popcorn · Beet · Snow Pea · Jalapeño · Magnet Plant · Flaming Pea · Shamrock · Bamboo Shoot · Repeater · Chilly Pepper · Twin Sunflower |
VIPs | Sweet Pea · Beeshooter · Hard-nut · Acespearagus · Power Flower · Beetboxer · Ice Queen Pea · Shamrockstar · Bamboom |
Others | Trees |
Plants vs. Zombies 2 (Chinese version) | |
---|---|
Ancient Egypt | Peashooter · Sunflower · Wall-nut · Cabbage-pult · Bloomerang · Iceberg Lettuce · Grave Buster · Bonk Choy · Repeater · Twin Sunflower · Snow Pea · Cherry Bomb · Torchwood |
Pirate Seas | Kernel-pult · Snapdragon · Power Lily · Spikeweed · Spring Bean · Coconut Cannon · Spikerock · Lightning Reed · Tall-nut |
Wild West | Threepeater · Squash · Split Pea · Chili Bean · Jalapeno · Pea Pod · Melon-pult · Winter Melon · Imitater |
Kongfu World | Radish · Fire Gourd · Heavenly Peach · Bamboo-shoot |
Far Future | Laser Bean · Blover · Citron · E.M.Peach · Infi-nut · Magnifying Grass · Tile Turnip · Starfruit |
Dark Ages | Hypno-shroom · Sun-shroom · Puff-shroom · Fume-shroom · Sun Bean · Pea-nut · Magnet-shroom · Oak Archer · Coffee Bean · Plantern |
Big Wave Beach | Acidic Citrus · Lotuspot · Lily Pad · Bowling Bulb · Banana Launcher · Guacodile · Tangle Kelp · Homing Thistle |
Frostbite Caves | Hurrikale · Fire Peashooter · Hot Potato · Pepper-pult · Chard Guard · Stunion · Rafflesia · Tornacorn |
Sky City | Rotobaga · Cycloque · Aspiragus · Saucer Squash · Board Beans · Lantern Cherry · Ampthurium · Spinnapple |
Lost City | Lava Guava · Red Stinger · A.K.E.E. · Stallia · Gold Leaf · Toadstool · Jackfruit |
Neon Mixtape Tour | MC Glory · Phat Beet · Thyme Warp · Celery Stalker · Spore-shroom · Garlic · Intensive Carrot · Cactus |
Jurassic Marsh | Primal Peashooter · Primal Wall-nut · Perfume-shroom · Primal Sunflower · Primal Potato Mine · Primal Rafflesia · Dinonip · Thorns · Mastercane |
Modern Day | Shadow-shroom · Caulipower · Moonflower · Grimrose · Nightshade · Dusk Lobber · Blooming Heart |
Steam Ages | Gold Bloom · Flat-shroom · Passionflower · Lotus Root · Fanilla · Lily of Alchemy · Berry Blaster |
Renaissance Age |
Aloe · Kinnikannon · Wax Guard · Oil Olive · Ruby Red · Dartichoke |
Heian Age | Sumo Melon · Wasabi Whip · Auberninja · Dripphylleia · Splitting Stephania · Kunai Tupistra · Windbreak Dendrobium · Orchid Chef · Geisha Flower · Stickybomb Rice |
Fairytale Forest | Ents · Heath Seeker · Hat Mushroom |
Monthly special | Pyro-shroom · Carrotillery · Cryo-shroom · Dandelion · Aggro Brocco · Pomegunate · Chomper · Sweet Potato · Lord Bamboo · Sap-fling · Ghost Pepper · Chest-nut · Bambrook · Zorrose · Magic-shroom · Electric Blueberry · R.A.D Missiles · Endurian · Pumpkin Witch · Sunflower Singer · Snowy Cotton · Guerrequila · Monkeyfruit · Plumping Plummy · Dragonfruit · Angel Starfruit · Gatling Pea · Match Flower · Firebloom Queen · Cattail · Grapeshot · Cold Snapdragon · Shrinking Violet · Cob Cannon · Apple Mortar · Witch Hazel · Escape Root · Electric Currant · Explode-O-Nut · Parsnip · Missile Toe · Kiwibeast · Electric Peashooter · Hot Date · Icy Currant · Trump Tulip · Banana Dancer · Dual Pistol Pinecone · Narcissus · Alarm Arrowhead · Holly Barrier · Shadow Peashooter · Snap Pea · Frostbloom Queen · Sling Pea · Zapdragon · Electrici-tea · Imp Pear · Strawburst · Egrett Flower · Goo Peashooter · Bud-minton · Curling Corms · Pokra · Dollarweed Drummer · Ultomato · Shadow Fanilla · Bromel Blade · Gumnut · Olive Pit · Nuclear Earthstar · Headbutter Lettuce · Dazey Chain · Boom Balloon Flower · Soda Bottle Palm · Tiger Claw · Impaintiens · Turkey-pult · Hammerflower · Fishhook Grass · Energy Mangosteen · Inferno · Tigerstool · Gardenergrass · Draftodil |
Others | Potato Mine · Flower Pot · Tactical Cuke |
Removed | Rotten Red |
Plants vs. Zombies Online | |
---|---|
Player's House | Sunflower · Peashooter · Wall-nut · Potato Mine |
Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum | Bruce Bamboo · Carrot Rocket · Pomegranate-pult · Dandelion · Venus Flytrap · Wax Gourd · Sod |
Ancient Egypt | Bloomerang · Bonk Choy · Grave Buster · Iceberg Lettuce · Cabbage-pult |
Pirate Seas | Snapdragon · Spikeweed · Spring Bean · Kernel-pult · Coconut Cannon · Narcissus · Endurian · Spikerock · Pineapple Cannon · Threepeater |
Far Future | Laser Bean · Blover · Citron · E.M.Peach · Tile Turnip · Ganoderma · Banana Tree · Nitro-shroom · Infi-nut · Magnifying Grass |
East Sea Dragon Palace | Oxygen Algae · Garlic · Bubble Flower · Electric Anemone |
Upgrades | Twin Sunflower · Repeater |
VIPs | Winter Melon |
Power Ups | Cherry Bomb · Jalapeno |
Premium | Squash · Snow Pea · Tall-nut |
Adventure Mode only | Magic Vine · Split Pea · Chili Bean · Lightning Reed · Pea Pod · Melon-pult · Starfruit · Chomper · Fire Peashooter · Cattail · Zorrose · Clivia · Sap-fling · Acidic Citrus · Magic-shroom · Ghost Pepper · Guacodile · Hurrikale · Plantern · Oak Archer · Homing Thistle · Pepper-pult · Radish · Toadstool · Blooming Heart · Red Stinger · Electric Blueberry · A.K.E.E. · Moonflower · Guerrequila · Aspiragus · Pumpkin Witch · Mine Fruit · Sea Anemone · Lychee Drill · Sea Starfruit |
Plants vs. Zombies 3 | |
---|---|
Neighborville | Sunflower · Wall-Nut · Bamboo Shoots · Peashooter · Bonk Choy |
Lost Keys Lake | Lily Pad · Tangle Kelp · Squash |
Mt. Quesogrande | Chili Bean · Silversword · Cabbage-Pult |
Power-Ups | Grapes of Wrath · Chilly Pepper · Jalapeño · Cherry Bomb · Blover |
Pre-2021 | Puff-Shroom · Buttercup · Garlic · Potato Mine · Pushywillow · Chard Guard · Spikeweed · Kernel-Pult · Caramel Popcorn · Lightning Reed · Melon-Pult · Shuffle Truffle · Blockbuster · Butternut Squash · Ragweed · Sawgrass · Fire Peashooter · Pine Needler · Snow Pea · Night Cap · Aloe Vera · Sweet Potato · Hydrangea · Dogwood · Chomper · Flak Seed · Gravitree · Gloom-Shroom · Lemon-Aid · Starfruit · Snapdragon · Fairy Ring Mushroom · Kalestorm · Star Tree · Magic Beans |