Suddenly can't apply new materials

While following this tutorial for a beach scene, around the part where he discuses palm trees I decided I would make my own since I was already familiar with the sapling generator. However when he starts to texture he can move freely to the material tab and continue where as I am stuck with the world settings and the world texture tab and can’t seem to find any way to get to the tree properties and apply materials and textures.


- what I see even when selecting the tree.

Many thanks for any help/input - a blender nab trying to learn how to walk.

Try unpinning the world settings


Wow it’s so simple it hurts. Thankyou very much!!!