Starfield Late Bloomer: Persuade Leah Casler or Steal the Tree Branch

Starfield’s Late Bloomer side quest tells the tale of an exiled MAST botanist and his vibrating tree, which will allegedly and imminently doom all of New Atlantis. After running some local errands for Kelton, this quest leads us to the Akila Museum. This museum holds a tree branch that Kelton hoping to use to reproduce its DNA and hold off the vibrating tree’s destruction. The issue is that Leah Casler, the woman working behind the counter of the Akila Museum, will not readily part ways with this exhibition. This guide explores the consequences of stealing the branch or persuading Leah to give it away.

Related: Starfield: Best Weapon & Gun Mods

Persuade Leah Castler to Give Away the Tree Branch in Starfield

After the first conversation with Leah, she’ll refuse to hand you the Tree Branch that Kelton needs. The conversation ends abruptly, allowing for the perfect moment to save.

Then, engage in conversation again to persuade Leah to part ways with the tree branch. It’s a four-check persuasion that must be completed in three turns. It’s not particularly hard, but this is a pretty early-game side quest, too.

Speak with Earl to Get Another Sample of Tree Branch in Starfield

Failed the persuasion dialogue option and don’t feel like stealing? Not all hope is lost. The tree branch in Akala Museum is not the only one of its kind. 

Earl, the host of an Alien Extravaganza freakshow, tried to offer it to his creatures but got a rejection. While he might claim it’s usually available, his bargaining side surfaces when he senses its value to you. Ultimately, you can purchase the tree branch from Earl for 500 credits.

Steal the Tree Branch From the Akila Museum in Starfield

By waiting for Leah’s shift to end and waltzing right behind the counter or having really high stealth stats and crouching behind her, the tree branch to complete Late Bloomer in Starfield can be stolen from the safe in the Akila Museum.

However, even if all the previous conditions are met, this is not a task for novice digipickers: the level required is expert. 

Related: Starfield: How to Pick Locks – Digipicks Explained

All in all, there are little to no consequences to the route you decide to take story-wise. The safest bet is to persuade Leah Casler, and if this fails, just purchase the tree branch from Earl. After all, 500 credits isn’t much, and letting this side quest sit in the quest log for hours until reaching an expert digipicking level isn’t worth it.