What Are Bonsai Seeds?

You will often hear people talking about bonsai seeds, or seeds for bonsai and there can actually be a lot of confusion around this, especially for beginners or people who are just finding out about gardening and bonsai in general. 

This has resulted in me being asked a lot of questions and my guess is that if one person has asked a question …then there are probably many more who are thinking the same thing.

So I will go through a number of questions around bonsai seeds to hopefully clear things up and give you a better understanding around the topic in general.

Bonsai Seeds Are Just Normal Seeds

I think before we answer any questions we really need to address that there are no such thing as “bonsai seeds” …they are just normal tree seeds.

There is no special bonsai tree, or seeds. A bonsai is ANY tree …the only think that makes it a bonsai is the techniques that are used on the tree. It is these techniques that keep the tree small and create the shape.

If you took any bonsai and planted it in the ground, and stopped using the techniques, it would just turn into a full size tree.

This means if you want to grow a bonsai from seed …buy normal tree seeds, get them growing, then apply the right techniques to keep them small. This is the only way you grow a bonsai from seed, anything else is lies and marketing designed to take your money.

(You can read more about – Where Can You Buy Bonsai Seeds?)

Are Bonsai Seeds Organic And Non-GMO?

How organic your seeds are really comes down to what seeds you buy or collect.

If you have bought organic, non GMO apples for example, well you can use those seeds to grow a tree and turn into a bonsai.

I am sure if you buy a packet of seeds it will say on it, and if it doesn’t I am sure you can contact the supplier and find out.

I would also assume if you are collecting anything from the park, they are probably pretty organic. I am fairly certain the council are not fertilising the park trees. Maybe they are using some weed killer in the area, but who knows, I guess that depends on your local area.

Can Bonsai Seeds Be Grown In Hydroponic Systems?

I am certainly not an expert on hydroponics as I have never tried it, but from my limited understanding you can start seeds using this method and since bonsai seeds are just normal tree seeds, it should work just fine.

I would imagine you still need to do the usual stratification and scarification for the seeds, if that species requires it.

I would also still suggest you just plant your seeds in soil, but if you have this type of system already and want to give it a try with a tree, do it. Get some tree seeds and let me know how it goes. 

Can Bonsai Seeds Be Grown From Cuttings Or Only From Seeds?

This is a strange question and I’m sorry, if you have asked this, you have got confused somewhere along the way.

A tree can be started from seed OR a cutting. However, you can’t start a seed from a cutting, that makes no sense.

A seed is what you hopefully imagine, a small seed that will grow into a tree. A cutting is when you cut a small branch off of a tree… you then take this small branch and plant it up, with the hope that it will grow roots and become its own tree.

Both techniques get you tree that you can use for bonsai, but a small branch you cut off isn’t going to turn into a seed …hopefully that clears things up.

Does The Size Of A Bonsai Tree Depend On Its Seed Size?

The size of the seed is determined by the species of the tree.

Some species have much larger seeds than others. Just think of the seed inside an avocado and compare that to the seeds inside a lemon.

However, this doesn’t mean that the size of the final tree is different, especially when it comes to bonsai. The final size of the tree really depend on you, and how much prune the tree, or let it grow.

You could have a tree with a large seed that ends up being a relatively small tree and a tree that came from a tiny seed, yet is quite large once it’s fully grown.

Just focus on the species you want and don’t worry about the seed size.

What Are Some Tips for Germinating Bonsai Seeds?

When it comes to germinating seeds for your future bonsai trees, this all comes down to the species.

Find out what you are growing and look up the best way to germinate that particular species. Not every species will need the same treatment. Some may need to be soaked or experience a cold period and others may not, it really all depends on the species, so work that out, and the rest will fall into place.

How Long Do Bonsai Seeds Take To Germinate?

Again, this is going to come down to the species. Different trees take different amounts of time to germinate and you just need to look up and see what the average time is.

An apple tree may start to germinate after 12 days in the fridge, where as Japanese black pine may need 12 weeks in there and then not even do anything for a further few weeks after you take it out.

 It really can be as broad as this, and it simply all comes down to species.

Conclusion

Hopefully this helps clear up any confusion. If you have any other questions around bonsai seeds that I haven’t covered here, or elsewhere on the site, feel free to email me and I will add them to this post.

Just always remember that bonsai seeds are just normal seeds, these normal seeds grow into normal trees …that you can then do bonsai work on. So long as you know that, it’s a very good start. 

(You can read more about – Starting A Bonsai From Seed – A Guide For Years 1 To 5)