Rite of the Pollip: My Hunt for Six Hearts in Silk
Find every Pollip Heart in Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Shellwood. This guide covers Greyroot, the Rite of the Pollip, and the venomous reward.
I still remember the first time a Pollip Heart revealed itself to me in Hollow Knight: Silksong. I was wandering through Shellwood, a region that feels like a cathedral built by roots that never learned to stop growing, when a drift of purple petals caught my eye. They floated from a wall like ash from a fire that burned cold and upside down. I broke the bulb, claimed the heart, and immediately understood that this was not just another collectible. It was the beginning of the Rite of the Pollip, a quest that would send me crawling, pogoing, and clinging across some of the most tangled corners of Shellwood. This first-person guide is updated for 2026, and it covers every Pollip Heart location, the quest trigger with Greyroot, and the venomous reward waiting at the end.
What Pollip Hearts Are
Pollip Hearts are special quest items in Hollow Knight: Silksong. They are found only in the Shellwood area map. In their natural state, they appear as large purple plants that pop out of the item upon destruction. The telltale sign of their presence is a set of floating purple petals and smaller bulbs and flowers adorning the side of the wall they are growing on. If you see violet debris drifting in the air, stop and look around. A Pollip bulb is usually nearby, tucked into an alcove, ceiling, or vine-choked ledge.
Starting the Rite of the Pollip
To begin, travel to the area marked on the map, below the bench and to the left. Enter the home that is made of roots. Greyroot waits inside. She talks about a new birth about to happen and asks you to bring her six Pollip Hearts. This begins the quest, Rite of the Pollip. I recommend starting the quest before hunting the hearts, because Greyroot’s request gives the whole journey a clear purpose.
The Six Pollip Hearts at a Glance
Heart
Where I found it
Key movement
#1
Just before Greyroot’s home
Cling Grip upward, avoid wall spikes
#2
Tunnel connecting the bench area to the left-most Shellwood
Pogo on flowers, clear small enemies
#3
Left of Sister Splinter’s boss arena, right alcove
Cling Grip, glide, pogo white flower vines
#4
After Cling Grip, top right new area, progress left
Cling to walls, stay high, avoid ceiling spikes
#5
Lowest path left beneath the bench
Traverse upper area, hop platform below bulb
#6
Through Bellhart, lower tunnels, secret path
Break secret tunnel, Cling Grip, hidden wall
Pollip Heart #1
The first Pollip Heart can be found just before Greyroot’s home. Use your Cling Grip ability to parkour upward, avoiding any sharp spikes along the wall. Then break the Pollip Bulb to retrieve the first Pollip Heart. It is a gentle introduction, but do not rush the spikes.
Pollip Heart #2
This heart is in the tunnel connecting the bench area to the left-most area of Shellwood. Purple petals fall from the ceiling here. Move from right to left and pogo yourself using a down strike on the flowers to propel upward. Small enemies may wait at the top, so eliminate them before they knock you into a bad landing. The Pollip Heart is on the ceiling. Strike upward to break it, or toss a trap and activate it to destroy the bulb and collect the Pollip.
Pollip Heart #3
This heart is located to the left of Sister Splinter’s boss arena and can be found in an alcove on the right. You need Cling Grip, glide, and parkour pogo on the white flower vines to get there. Purple insects fly around the area, so defeat them before working on the bulb to avoid unnecessary health loss. I learned that lesson after being bumped mid-pogo.
Pollip Heart #4
After you traverse the area after receiving your Cling Grip, head to the top right and upward into the new area, then progress left. Cling to the walls to climb left and keep to the upper levels, avoiding the spikes on the ceiling. You will find this Pollip bulb clinging to the upper right ceiling. Destroy it and collect the heart. There are no insects in this particular alcove, so take the time to heal up here if you have not yet.
Pollip Heart #5
For this heart, go to the lowest path to the left beneath the bench on the map. Then traverse through the upper area and hop onto the platform below the bulb to collect the heart. This is a more straightforward heart to collect