How to Breed the Emerald Dragon in DragonVale (May Gemstone Guide)

The short answer: breed a Crystal Dragon with a Lichen Dragon during May. Breeding takes 31 hours (24h 48m in an Upgraded Breeding Cave). Outside its window the Emerald Dragon cannot be bred at all.

Emerald is May’s birthstone dragon and the very first gemstone dragon DragonVale added, back in 2012. Like every gemstone dragon it earns gems rather than DragonCash, which is why players plan their whole May around it.

Quick facts

Type	Gemstone (birthstone)
Level required	12
Combination	Crystal Dragon + Lichen Dragon (either order)
Window	May (1 May – 1 June in recent years)
Breeding time	31h · 24h 48m upgraded cave
Incubation	31h · 23h 15m upgraded nursery
Earns	Gems (about 2–4 a month as it levels)
Gem price	1,500 gems when offered

Why 31 hours?

Birthstone dragons follow a neat pattern: their breeding time in hours equals the number of days in their month. May has 31 days, so Emerald takes 31 hours — the same rule you will see in our Ruby and Aquamarine guides. It also makes the timer a useful check: a 31-hour egg from Crystal + Lichen in May is almost certainly your Emerald.

Getting the parents ready before May

The combination is fixed, so the real work is having both parents at level 4 or higher by 1 May.

• Crystal Dragon — breed any two dragons that carry Lightning and Earth between them (Lightning + Earth is the simplest). It takes 24 hours. Full details in our Crystal Dragon guide.
• Lichen Dragon — a member of the Metal family; our Metal dragons guide covers that family.

Get both in April, feed them past level 4, and you can start attempts the moment May begins. Every day you wait in May is a day of attempts lost.

Odds and how to make the most of May

The DragonVale Wiki lists about 3% per attempt — a community estimate, but a useful reminder that a single month means you need volume.

• Start on 1 May and keep a cave on Crystal + Lichen all month.
• Read the timer straight away. If it isn’t 31h (or 24h 48m upgraded), you know at once it failed and can clear and retry. Our Egg Timer helps.
• Consider the Epic Breeding Island for gemstone attempts — our cave comparison guide explains when it helps.

Missed May?

Emerald has also returned outside May in some years — for example in late-year comeback events (November–December 2025) and the occasional “Bring ‘Em Back” week. Don’t plan around those; treat May as the window and any extra appearance as a bonus. Our Event Calendar lists the gemstone months.

Frequently asked questions

What two dragons make an Emerald Dragon?

Crystal Dragon + Lichen Dragon, in either order, during May.

How long is the Emerald Dragon’s timer?

31 hours, or 24 hours 48 minutes in an Upgraded Breeding Cave.

Can the Emerald Dragon breed with other dragons?

No. Like other gemstone dragons, it cannot be used as a parent.

Facts checked on 24 October 2026 against the in-game rules as documented by the community DragonVale Wiki. Windows can change from year to year; confirm in the game. Something out of date? Tell us.