Overview
In Minecraft 1.21.4, Glow Lichen is a building block. A hardness of 0.2 means it is one of the quicker blocks to clear. No specific tool is required to collect it.
Light passes through it, so it will not darken the space behind it. It offers almost no protection from explosions (0.2 blast resistance). A full stack holds 64.
It is not used in any crafting recipe.
How long it takes to break
Glow Lichen has a hardness of 0.2. By hand that is 0.3 seconds per block; with the correct tool at netherite tier it is 0.05 seconds.
The drop does not depend on the tool — bare hands work as well as anything — so the table below is purely about speed.
Each Efficiency level adds level² + 1 to the tool's speed; against a block this soft, instant mining arrives after only a level or two.
| Tool | No enchantment | Efficiency III | Efficiency V |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hand | 0.3 s | 0.3 s | 0.3 s |
| Wooden | 0.15 s | instant | instant |
| Stone | 0.1 s | instant | instant |
| Iron | instant | instant | instant |
| Diamond | instant | instant | instant |
| Netherite | instant | instant | instant |
| Golden | instant | instant | instant |
Properties
With 0.2 blast resistance Glow Lichen goes down to any nearby explosion. It is transparent to light and produces no light. One inventory slot holds 64, the normal full stack. Fire takes to it quickly — encouragement 15, burn 100 — which makes it a poor neighbour for lava or a lit campfire. An axe is fastest here; any other class mines it at bare-hand speed, because the bonus only applies to the class the block is tagged for.
- Transparent
- Yes
- Required tool
- Any
- Flammable
- Yes (15/100)
Guides and tools that cover this
Frequently asked questions
How do you get Glow Lichen in Minecraft?
Glow Lichen generates naturally in the world and does not drop anything without Silk Touch.
What tool do you need to break Glow Lichen?
No specific tool is required — Glow Lichen can be broken by hand.
Is Glow Lichen blast resistant?
Glow Lichen has a blast resistance of 0.2, so an explosion nearby will destroy it.
How many Glow Lichen fit in one stack?
64 per stack, so a double chest holds 3,456 Glow Lichen.
How long does Glow Lichen take to break?
About 0.05 seconds if you bring the correct netherite tool; 0.3 seconds with your fists.
