Hello all, new to bonsai planting. Which one should I try to grow first.

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Hello I just ordered a bonsai kit from amazon and should get it today. I wanted to try to germinate and grow a Brazilian rosewood but don’t know if I should start with that one.
 

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leatherback

The Treedeemer
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To be honest.. Growing from seed is lots of fun. But it is the hardest and longest route to growing bonsai.
If I may.. Get a bunch of hedging shrubs from a local garden centre. These will have some maturity and you will have loads to experiment and learn techniques, while your seeds wait to germinate.
 

Forsoothe!

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OK, play with that, but go out and buy a fig to play with and learn how to care for a tropical bonsai houseplant. First, if you click on your Icon in the upper right corner and add your location, people can give advice customized to your climate.
 

Eckhoffw

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@leatherback with good suggestions.
when new, many (myself) often look to use any material within arms reach. While this is fine, I would say educate yourself on what to look for in nursery stock.
Trunk, nebari, movement, and etc. Look for that diamond in the rough. Also, look into collecting good native material.
welcome.
 

one_bonsai

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If you're just starting out, I'd recommend Chinese elms which are just about un-killable and Junipers. That gives you a deciduous and an evergreen.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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Growing from see is the "slow route" to bonsai. The first 5 to 10 years of a seedlings progress toward bonsai will be mostly "nurseryman's phase" of growing, zero or near zero "bonsai techniques". The horticulture will be the initial focus. Which is okay. If you are new to raising plants, the "spin up" can be a difficult period.

Bonsai seed kits are not a good value for the money charged. But if you already have one, sometimes they "work".

Brazilian rosewood - the botanical name is Dalbergia nigra - this is an endangered species, seed may be difficult to obtain. Some of the other species of Dalbergia are more readily available. They are all "rosewoods". With all of the Dalbergia, they are in the pea and bean family, they have compound leaves. The compound leaves are a complication for styling as "bonsai". You will not find many examples of them being used.

But if you can obtain seed of Dalbergia nigra, you should try growing it. Take photos and document your progress here. Dalbergia is a genus of trees that have been over-exploited for their beautiful wood, and more efforts should be made to cultivate them as ornamental trees.
 

BonsaiNaga13

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If you're insistent on starting from seed find a reputable seed supplier, there's no such thing as a "bonsai seed" they're all just regular seeds and online sellers usually list them as "bonsai seeds" with the intent to mark up the price. if you just love watching things grow like me go for it and get some seeds. You can find em reasonably priced if you know what you're looking for and look in the right place or even free if you see trees in your area bearing seeds. In the meantime you might want to purchase some pre bonsai nursery stock to work on while your seeds grow.
 

ShadyStump

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I like your list in the pic. Siberian elm, no doubt in my mind. Your rose wood seeds should keep alright in the frige, or at least a cool dry dark place.
Siberian elms are the quintessential weed tree- fast growing and impossible to kill even when you're trying- and when you look at old wild specimens they can easily make very interesting trees. You call also get them for free while cleaning the tard. Great first tree for learning the basics.
I'm a noob too, and tried jumping in on pinyon pines because they're my favorite tree. So far I've killed more pinyons than all the other trees I've had combined. Still trying pinyons, though. There's nothing wrong with starting many trees at once, and that's why my current favorite is my little siberian elm. You can plant your rosewood seeds, and use the elms to keep your mind off it until it's time.
 
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