[Published: May 31, 2026 | Last updated: May 31, 2026] | 6 min read
TL;DR
- There are 22 purple flowers on Ginger Island in Stardew Valley
- This is the correct answer to Professor Snail’s Island Survey at the Island Field Office
- Answering correctly earns you 1 Golden Walnut – a wrong answer locks you out until the next in-game day
- There are also 18 purple starfish on the island, which is the second survey question
- You must rescue Professor Snail from the Mushroom Cave before the survey becomes available
How Many Purple Flowers Are on Ginger Island?
The answer is 22 purple flowers. That is the number Professor Snail is looking for in his Island Survey at the Island Field Office in Ginger Island North (Stardew Valley Wiki, 2026).
This is a fixed number. It does not change between playthroughs, seasons, or game versions. Every copy of Stardew Valley has exactly 22 purple flowers placed across Ginger Island. You can count them manually if you want – most players who try come back with 21 or 23 because a few are tucked near cliffs and behind trees – but the correct survey answer is always 22 (eXputer, 2024).
The second survey question asks about purple starfish. That answer is 18. Both questions are covered in this guide.
What Is the Island Survey and Why Does It Matter?
The Island Survey is a two-question quiz posted on the wall inside the Island Field Office on Ginger Island North. Professor Snail runs the office and asks players to count specific flora and fauna across the island as part of his ongoing research (Stardew Valley Wiki, 2026).
Each correct answer gives you 1 Golden Walnut. Both questions together give you 2 Golden Walnuts total.
Golden Walnuts are the currency of Ginger Island. You spend them to unlock new areas, upgrade the resort, and pay the parrots who run the island’s services. There are 130 Golden Walnuts to collect across the whole island (Shockbyte, 2025), and the two from Professor Snail’s survey are among the easiest to earn.
One rule matters: you can only submit one answer per survey per in-game day. If you answer incorrectly, you wait until the next day to try again. There is no penalty beyond the wait – no item loss, no progress reset (TheGamer, 2024).
How to Unlock Professor Snail’s Survey
The Island Field Office is empty until you rescue Professor Snail. The survey is not accessible before that point.
Step 1: Get to Ginger Island
Repair Willy’s boat at the back of his Fish Shop. The repair requires:
- 200 Hardwood
- 5 Iridium Bars
- 5 Battery Packs
Once repaired, pay 1,000g for a ticket to Ginger Island (Ginger Island Wiki, 2026).
Step 2: Reach the Dig Site
The Dig Site is north of the Island Field Office, across a broken bridge. Pay 10 Golden Walnuts to the parrot next to the bridge to repair it. You can collect those 10 walnuts by exploring the island’s beach, jungle, and farm areas before approaching the Dig Site.
Step 3: Free Professor Snail
Cross the repaired bridge into the Dig Site. On the eastern side, you’ll hear someone calling for help behind a boulder blocking a cave entrance. Use any bomb to destroy the boulder:
- Bomb
- Cherry Bomb
- Mega Bomb
- Explosive Ammo
- One hit from a Slingshot (aimed carefully)
Professor Snail walks out, thanks you, and heads back to the Island Field Office (GameRant, 2021).
Step 4: Visit the Island Field Office
Head to the Island Field Office in Ginger Island North. The survey questions are posted on the wall. Interact with them to submit your answers.
The Two Survey Questions and Answers
| Question | Correct Answer |
|---|---|
| How many purple flowers are on Ginger Island? | 22 |
| How many purple starfish are on Ginger Island? | 18 |
Both answers are fixed across all platforms and game versions. Java, PC, console, and mobile all have the same counts (TechRaptor, 2023).
Where Are the Purple Flowers Located on Ginger Island?
The 22 purple flowers are spread across the upper areas of Ginger Island, primarily in Ginger Island North. Most cluster near the Island Field Office, along cliffsides, and behind trees. They are decorative, fixed-position blocks – you cannot pick them, move them, or destroy them (RoyalCDKeys, 2025).
General locations to look:
- Near the Island Field Office tent and surrounding grass
- Along the cliffs above Professor Snail’s tent
- Behind palm trees in the northern area
- Near the broken bridge leading to the Dig Site
- Scattered throughout the Ginger Island North pathway
The easiest approach: zoom out to maximum view range and walk slowly through each area from south to north. The flowers are bright purple against the green and brown island terrain – not easy to mistake for anything else, but easy to skip past if you’re moving fast.
If your count comes out at 21, check behind trees and along cliff edges. That’s where the most commonly missed flowers sit (bo3.gg, 2024).
Where Are the Purple Starfish Located on Ginger Island?
The 18 purple starfish are on the sandy beaches surrounding Ginger Island. They sit on the sand as small decorative objects, distinct from the forage items and shells you can pick up.
Walk the full perimeter of the island’s beach sections to count them. They appear on all beach sides – south, east, and west beaches all have starfish. Like the flowers, they are fixed and cannot be collected (Charlie INTEL, 2024).
What Do You Get for Completing the Survey?
Per question: 1 Golden Walnut for a correct answer.
Total from both surveys: 2 Golden Walnuts.
These two walnuts count toward the 130 total needed to unlock all of Ginger Island’s content. Completing the full survey (both questions answered correctly) also counts toward the Island Field Office completion. Finishing everything at the Field Office – all fossil donations plus both surveys – unlocks the crafting recipe for the Ostrich Incubator (VGKAMI, 2022).
The Ostrich Incubator lets you hatch Ostrich Eggs found on Ginger Island and raise ostriches on your farm. That makes the Field Office one of the better long-term investments on the island.
Tips for Counting Purple Flowers Without Missing Any
- Zoom out fully. Stardew Valley lets you zoom to minimum view level. Do this before counting – it makes the purple flowers visible across a wider area without needing to walk as far.
- Count in sections. Split Ginger Island North into left, center, and right sections. Count each one separately, then add the totals. This is less error-prone than trying to count the whole island in one pass.
- Mark your path. If you’re counting manually, walk a set route rather than wandering. Start at the south entrance to Island North, sweep left to right, and move north row by row.
- Just submit 22. Every source confirms the number is fixed. Unless ConcernedApe issues a patch that changes the island layout, the answer will always be 22. Skip the manual count and save the time.
Common Mistakes When Answering the Survey
| Mistake | Result | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Answering before rescuing Professor Snail | Survey is not accessible | Free him from the Mushroom Cave first |
| Counting flowers from the mainland in your total | Wrong answer | Only count flowers physically on Ginger Island |
| Submitting the wrong number | Locked out until next in-game day | Sleep and try again – no permanent penalty |
| Confusing purple flowers with other flora | Inaccurate count | Purple flowers are small, bright violet blooms – not bushes or large plants |
| Answering both questions on the same day | Only one answer accepted per day | Come back the next in-game day for the second question |
Frequently Asked Questions About the Ginger Island Purple Flower Survey
How many purple flowers are on Ginger Island in Stardew Valley?
Exactly 22. This is the fixed answer to Professor Snail’s first Island Survey question at the Island Field Office. The number does not change between game versions, platforms, or saves (eXputer, 2024).
How many purple starfish are on Ginger Island?
18 purple starfish. That is the answer to Professor Snail’s second survey question. The starfish are found on the sandy beaches around the island’s perimeter (Charlie INTEL, 2024).
What happens if you answer Professor Snail’s survey question wrong?
Nothing permanent. You are simply told the answer was incorrect and locked out from submitting another answer until the next in-game day. Sleep in your bed to advance the day, then return and try again (TheGamer, 2024).
Can you access the Island Survey before rescuing Professor Snail?
No. The Island Field Office is empty before you rescue him. The survey questions on the wall are not interactable until Professor Snail is free and back at his desk (Stardew Valley Wiki, 2026).
Do the purple flowers change with seasons or in-game events?
No. The purple flowers are fixed decorative elements of the Ginger Island map. They do not appear or disappear based on season, weather, or game progress. The count is always 22 regardless of when you visit the island (ScalaCube, 2025).
Is the Ginger Island survey part of the 1.5 update?
Yes. Ginger Island itself, Professor Snail, the Island Field Office, and the Island Survey were all added in Stardew Valley version 1.5, released in December 2020 for PC and later for consoles and mobile (TechRaptor, 2023).
Key Takeaways
- 22 purple flowers on Ginger Island – that is the answer, it does not change
- 18 purple starfish is the second survey answer
- Each correct answer gives 1 Golden Walnut, for 2 total from both surveys
- Rescue Professor Snail with a bomb first – the survey is locked until you do
- Wrong answers just mean waiting one in-game day – no permanent loss