property

emblements

Emblements are annual crops produced by human labor, such as corn, wheat, or vegetables, that are treated as personal property even while still growing in the ground. A tenant farmer whose tenancy ends unexpectedly, through no fault of their own, generally has the right to return and harvest crops they planted. Perennial plants such as trees and shrubs are usually considered part of the real estate instead.

Exam tip
Expect the trap that growing crops are always real property. Cultivated annual crops (fructus industriales) are personal property; natural growth like trees (fructus naturales) stays with the land.
Example
A tenant planted soybeans in April, and the landlord sold the farm in July, ending the lease. The tenant may come back in the fall to harvest the soybeans.

Related terms & state variants

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Last verified: 2026-10-23