Grow Your Own Tiny Cherry Blossom Tree With This Sakura Bonsai Kit

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The Japanese tradition of growing bonsai trees—originally derived from an ancient Chinese gardening practice—is an art dedicated to cultivating miniature trees that mimic the shape of their full-sized counterparts in nature. Ever wanted to try your hand at growing your very own bonsai tree? Well, you’re in luck. Amazon is selling bonsai seed kits that have everything you need to start growing a Japanese cherry blossom bonsai tree from scratch, all for just $19.99. The starter kit includes all the necessary materials—Japanese cherry blossom flowering bonsai seeds, a ceramic pot, bonsai potting soil mix, pebbles, and an instructional guide.

Contrary to what those unfamiliar with bonsai might think, these tiny trees aren’t produced from special seedlings that cause them to grow that way. In reality, normal tree seedlings are used; however, they are propagated and pruned in such a way that causes them to remain small, rather than reaching their full-grown size and height. As the small saplings shoot up, they must continue to be pruned, shaped, and styled to meet the gardener’s own artistic vision and design.

Just a fair warning—this process isn’t for the faint of heart. The entire task of growing a fully mature bonsai tree from a seedling takes years of dedication, care, patience, and lots of pruning—even if you use a special starter kit. The stratification process alone can take a couple of months, so it may be several months before your seedlings even begin to sprout. If you’re not sure you’re in it for the long haul, there’s always the LEGO version—it grows much quicker, takes little to no work to maintain, and is sure to never wilt or die.

But if you think you’ve got a green thumb and the necessary patience to give growing bonsai trees a try, you can purchase the 9GreenBox: Japanese Cherry Blossom Bonsai Seed Kit on Amazon today.