The Gemara discusses the definitions of 'pri ha-etz' and 'pri ha-adamah,' explaining that a tree is a plant whose wood endures, whereas a plant that does not maintain a woody trunk year-round produces only 'pri ha-adamah.' This forms the basis for all subsequent rulings.
מַתְנִי׳ בֵּירַךְ עַל פֵּירוֹת הָאִילָן ״בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה״ — יָצָא. וְעַל פֵּירוֹת הָאָרֶץ ״בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ״ — לֹא יָצָא. וְעַל כּוּלָּם, אִם אָמַר ״שֶׁהַכֹּל נִהְיֶה בִּדְבָרוֹ״ — יָצָא. גְּמָ׳ מַאן תַּנָּא דְּעִיקַּר אִילָן אַרְעָא הִיא?! אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הִיא, דִּתְנַן: יָבֵשׁ הַמַּעְיָן וְנִקְצַץ הָאִילָן — מֵבִיא וְאֵינוֹ קוֹרֵא. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: מֵבִיא וְקוֹרֵא. סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ אָמֵינָא, הוֹאִיל וְאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה חִטָּה מִין אִילָן הִיא, לִיבָרֵךְ עֲלֵיהּ ״בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ״. קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן, הֵיכָא מְבָרְכִינַן בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ — הֵיכָא דְּכִי שָׁקְלַתְּ לֵיהּ לְפֵירֵי אִיתֵיהּ לִגְווֹזָא, וַהֲדַר מַפֵּיק,
MISHNA: This mishna discusses how, after the fact, a more general blessing exempts one from the obligation to recite a more specific one. One who recited: Who creates fruit of the ground, over fruit of the tree, fulfilled his obligation. One who recited: Who creates fruit of the tree, over fruits of the earth, did not fulfill his obligation. And over all food items, one who recited: By whose word all things came to be, fulfilled his obligation. GEMARA: The Gemara begins by ascertaining: Who is the tanna that holds that the primary factor in the growth of a tree is the earth, and therefore one may recite: Who creates fruit of the ground, over fruits of the tree fulfills his obligation? Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: That is the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, as we learned in a mishna dealing with the halakhot of first fruits: If, after one picked the first fruits from his field, the spring dried up and the tree upon which the fruit grew was chopped down, he brings the first fruits to the Temple but does not read the accompanying praise. The tree or spring, which were the primary components of the growth of the fruit, no longer exist and he cannot recite the passage thanking God for “the good land.” Rabbi Yehuda says: He brings the first fruits and reads the accompanying praise, as the land is the primary factor in the growth of the tree, and the tree itself is merely an extension of the land. Even after the tree is felled, the land remains intact. Similarly, with regard to blessings, the halakha maintains that fruit of the tree is considered to be fruit of the ground, as well. Based on this, it might have entered your mind to say, since Rabbi Yehuda said that wheat is a type of tree, one should recite over it: Who creates fruit of the tree. Therefore, the mishna taught us that with regard to blessings, the principle is different. Where does one recite: Who creates fruit of the tree? Only in a case where, when you take the fruit, the branch remains and again produces fruit.