Posted in: Games, Mobile Games, Niantic, Pokémon GO | Tagged: pokemon, Verdant Wonders, zarude

Zarude Returns To Pokémon GO With New Verdant Wonders Event

Did you miss Zarude's 2021 debut in Pokémon GO? If so, the Galarian Mythical finally returns with a new event: Verdant Wonders.

Published Thu, 21 Mar 2024 10:12:08 -0500

by Theo Dwyer

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Article Summary

Zarude returns to Pokémon GO in the Verdant Wonders event, beginning March 21, 2024.
New Flower Crown Cottonee and first-time Shiny Flabébé will be featured.
Rare spawns include Shiny Zorua and region-locked Flower Flabébé variants.
Special $7.99 Rogue of the Jungle Research with a Zarude encounter.

Almost three years after its initial debut, Zarude returns to Pokémon GO in a new event.

Verdant Wonders Event graphic in Pokémon GO. Credit: Niantic — Verdant Wonders Event graphic in *Pokémon GO*. Credit: Niantic

Here's what's happening for the Verdant Wonders event in Pokémon GO:

Date and time: Thursday, March 21, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, March 25, 2024, at 8:00 p.m. local time
New Costumed Pokémon: Cottonee will wear a Flower Crown during this event, and it can be evolved into Flower Crown Whimsicott. Flower Crown Cottonee can be encountered in its Shiny form.
Shiny release: Flabébé will be available in its Shiny form for the first time. It will remain region-locked and can be found in the following locations:
- Red Flower Flabébé: Appearing in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa
- Blue Flower Flabébé: Appearing in the Asia-Pacific region
- Yellow Flower Flabébé: Appearing in the Americas
- White Flower Flabébé and Orange Flower Flabébé can appear in any region as rare spawns
Wild Spawns: Flower Crown Cottonee (can be Shiny), Flabébé (can be Shiny), Bulbasaur (can be Shiny), Oddish (can be Shiny), Tangela (can be Shiny), Hoppip (can be Shiny), Poochyena (can be Shiny), Shroomish (can be Shiny), Cutiefly (can be Shiny), and Nuzleaf. Rare encounters include Zorua (can be Shiny), Pansage (can be Shiny), Panpour (can be Shiny), Pansear (can be Shiny), and the White and Orange Flower variants of Flabébé.
Event bonuses:
- PokéStop Showcases
- Collection Challenges that award Stardust, XP, and Flower Crown Cottonee.
Field Research: Encounters include Vulpix (can be Shiny), Poliwag (can be Shiny), Marill (can be Shiny), Slugma (can be Shiny), Flower Crown Cottonee (can be Shiny), Pansage (can be Shiny), Pansear (can be Shiny), and Panpour (can be Shiny).
Paid Special Research: Niantic offers a $7.99 Special Research story titled Rogue of the Jungle. For the first time since its original release, Zarude returns via this research… but unfortunately not with a Shiny release.
- In addition to the Zarude feature, this ticket features increased encounters with Flabébé (the color of which will remain based on your region), Panpour, Pansage, Pansear, Cutiefly, Flower Crown Cottonee, and Zorua. All can be Shiny.
- Here is what Niantic has to say about this questline, which will also feature more encounters and items:
  - Tickets will be available to purchase this Special Research story leading to an encounter with Zarude from Thursday, March 21, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, March 25, 2024, at 8:00 p.m. local time. Ticket holders will gain access to the Special Research story during the Verdant Wonders event. To receive the Special Research, you must open Pokémon GO at some point between Thursday, March 21, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. and Monday, March 25, 2024, at 8:00 p.m. local time. After you've received the Special Research, you can complete it at any time. Trainers will be able to encounter Zarude, the Rogue Monkey Pokémon, upon completing the Special Research story!