Just got a Facebook ad for bonsai seeds. Bonsai… seeds.
To explain this to everyone who's not into recreationally trimming trees, bonsai trees aren't small cause they're mutants or anything, they're normal species made miniature by aggressive trimming and severe resource deprivation.
Lamarckism didn't pan out, a bonsai tree's seeds, if left to grow in a healthy environment, will become a full-size tree, while bonsai can be grown just the same from seeds (or cuttings!) of a full-size specimen. (In fact, resource-deprived miniature trees might well have less to spare towards healthy seeds)
There is no such thing as bonsai seeds
Agreed! But I'd like to clear up a misconception: while trees that are dwarfed in nature may be small due to resource deprivation, this is not true of bonsai in cultivation. Well-grown bonsai are provided ample water, light, and fertilizer, and may in fact receive more resources than their wild-growing counterparts.
Bonsai are kept small through pruning, trimming, and growth techniques, yes. But to deprive them of nutrients is counter-productive, as a weakened tree is less able to respond how you want to growth techniques and more likely to develop pest problems. That's more work for the grower! Feed your trees, folks.
