From Seed to Bonsai

I know nothing about caring for bonsai trees. Frankly, as beautiful as I find them, I can’t help thinking they’re a lot of trouble. Of course, they need to be cared for properly, but their growth also has to be monitored very, very closely. I don’t have any and I don’t want any. I’m happy just admiring them when I come across them.

BUT! I know the biology of bonsai. Its life cycle, why it’s a bonsai. And I can assure you that a cherry seed has no idea what awaits it when it falls into the hands of a “bonsai master.” That little seed is destined to become a tree like any other. It is thanks to a human being that it will take on a miniature form.

So please, stop being fooled into buying bonsai seeds!

Misleading Advertising

If your advertising algorithm is anything like mine, when you browse the web, you come across ads like these:

SUPER DEAL 15% off spa access with the purchase of a $150 massage

MEGA TRAVEL SALE $500 round trip to the sun (airfare only)

BUY 9 AND GET THE 10TH HALF PRICE! Your dog will love our chew boxes!

NEVER SEEN BEFORE: 10% OFF USED AND STILL DIRTY GARDENING ITEMS

BUY CHOCOLATE (we’ve noticed that there are never any discounts on chocolate…)

SUPER SALE ON WOOL! All scratchy beige and khaki wool must go!

BONSAI SEEDS, grow your own bonsai, it’s easy!

Oh, I also get ads for baby stuff from time to time, even though that doesn’t concern me at all… I guess it’s because I’m a woman in her thirties… Anyway!

What you notice is that I’m a very average millennial. My children are dogs, I crochet, I garden, and I eat my emotions while dreaming of travel and spas. Nothing really original.

Except that! Dear advertising agents, I’m not gullible (especially when it comes to living things, because, well… Living things are kind of my specialty, you know!). Misleading advertising makes me angry. I’m not talking about 5% discounts. Yes, it’s a completely worthless discount, but it’s not misleading. No, I’m talking about seeds that don’t exist. Blue begonias that glow in the dark are Photoshop or AI, folks. A $15 outdoor greenhouse on Temu is clearly not the one you’re going to receive. And bonsai seeds simply don’t exist.

What Is a Bonsai, Then?

Any tree that has been forced to remain small. Yes, any tree! An oak, a maple, a pine, a juniper… any species of tree can become a bonsai. It is not a special dwarf species. It is dwarfism that is imposed on the individual of our choice.

If you’ve ever grown carrots in a container that’s too shallow, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Instead of developing the beautiful straight, elongated root you were hoping to harvest, your carrots will be small, twisted, deformed, sometimes even with growths sticking out in several directions. They tried to grow normally, but they hit the bottom of the container, which forced them to develop differently.

That’s what bonsai is all about. But the bottom of the container that constrains them is a human being.

The Art of Plant Torture

Okay, I admit that the word “torture” is a bit harsh. But that’s kind of what it is: you take a young shoot that should have grown into a giant and force it to live in miniature form for eternity. It’s not cruel, plants don’t have a nervous system that allows them to feel pain. It’s just an unnatural way of growing a plant. It’s sometimes called plant dwarfism, even though it’s not a genetic or transmissible condition like dwarfism in animals or humans.

To “make” them (not “grow” them), several techniques are used:

1. Restrictive repotting: The tree is kept in a tiny pot to limit root growth. The less space the tree has for its roots, the less it can grow in height.
2. Drastic pruning: New shoots are constantly cut back to force the tree to remain compact. This is not very different from pruning fruit trees or shrubs, except that it is done much more often and much more drastically.
3. Bud pinching: The terminal buds are regularly removed to prevent the tree from growing and force it to branch out.
4. Defoliation: Some leaves are removed to reduce the size of the tree and encourage it to produce smaller leaves. By losing its large leaves, the tree “learns” that smaller leaves are more efficient to produce.
5. Wiring: Metal wires are wrapped around the branches (and sometimes the roots!) to bend them and give them artistic shapes. Imagine wearing a corset for years… That’s pretty much the idea!

Now you understand why I said it was a lot of trouble? A bonsai requires almost daily attention. It’s not like your succulent plant that survives even if you forget about it for three weeks. If you’re not ready to do all that, I suggest another type of dwarf plant that is easier to care for and can brighten up your garden:

But Then, What About Those “Bonsai Seeds” in the Ads?

They are scams, plain and simple! These unscrupulous sellers usually send you:

1. Ordinary tree seeds (often pine or maple) that you can find for free in your local park.
2. Plant seeds that will NEVER grow into trees, such as grasses or annuals (surprise: your “bonsai” is actually basil!).
3. Non-viable seeds that simply won’t germinate (that’s the optimistic scenario—at least you won’t have wasted your time caring for them).
4. Or worse, nothing at all! Just a small empty envelope and a seller who has disappeared into thin air with your money.

Some “cleaner” websites explain what I just told you about maintenance. They may even provide you with a small kit of miniature shears and shovels! But the fact remains that before your seed gives you an attractive and satisfying bonsai, it can take 15 years!

If you’re just starting out… forgive me for saying so, but you might end up torturing it a little too much and your young two- or three-year-old tree might die! Even with all the best advice in the world, it’s still a difficult skill to develop. When we say that bonsai is an art, we mean that it’s mainly the art of not killing the patient by torturing it too much!

How to Make a Real Bonsai Tree (If You’re Really, Really Patient)

If I haven’t managed to discourage you and you still want to embark on this adventure, here’s how to do it:

1. Prepare yourself mentally: A bonsai is a lifelong project. The most beautiful specimens are often over 50 years old and have been cared for by several generations of “bonsai artists.” If you have trouble keeping a houseplant alive for more than three months, this may not be for you.

2. Choose a tree: Buy a young tree seedling from a nursery (or sow a real tree seed, but be prepared to wait several years before you can start working on your bonsai). Juniper, pine, and Japanese maple are popular choices for beginners.

3. Get equipped: You will need small pruning shears, binding wire, special bonsai substrate, and a shallow pot (several!).

4. Learn the techniques: Read books or take classes, because I clearly don’t have the space to explain all the subtleties of this art in one article… And besides, I already told you I don’t know anything about it!

5. Accept losses: Your first few will probably die. That’s how you learn. Mother Nature doesn’t give in easily.

Bonsai Trees, Works of Art

Bonsai trees are true living works of art, the result of patient and meticulous work. They bear witness to a special relationship between humans and plants, where the tree is shaped to express a certain aesthetic vision.

But please, don’t buy bonsai seeds! I repeat: a bonsai is not grown from a special seed, but is shaped from an ordinary tree. So, when you come across an advertisement for redwood bonsai seeds that can germinate indoors in three days… send it to me so I can have a good laugh with you!

And if, like me, you prefer to just admire them from afar and say, “Yeah, they’re pretty, but I’m not interested,” that’s also a perfectly respectable choice! Not all plants are for everyone, and not all gardeners are for all plants.

I wanted to end with that last sentence, but as I was writing it, a few aloe ghosts came back to haunt me… I felt I had to mention it! By the way, I’d like to throw you a…