Cannabis Bonsai: What It Is & How To Grow One

Recently, we’ve noticed a trend. People are starting to grow their own cannabis bonsai plants. These miniature versions of cannabis plants might sound complex given the nature of bonsai trees, but growing one is pretty straightforward.

It all comes down to showing your cannabis bonsai tree some TLC for it to survive, thrive, and sit pretty in your home.

See below for more about cannabis bonsais and how to grow one yourself.

First, let’s touch on the traditional bonsai.

The word bonsai translates to “planted in a container.” Traditionally, bonsais are miniature size trees carefully pruned and trained to maintain their small, dainty, and artistic shape. This ancient practice, originating in Japan and China, embodies Zen philosophy, emphasizing patience, balance, and harmony with nature.

The art of creating a cannabis bonsai isn’t so different.

A cannabis bonsai—sometimes called a canna-bonsai or “budsai”—follows the same principles, except instead of a traditional tree, growers shape and train cannabis plants to take on a bonsai-like appearance.

Now, you might be thinking—what’s the appeal in bonsai cultivation?

A bonsai cannabis plant allows you to grow cannabis virtually anywhere.

Even an apartment dweller living in the most compact of New York studios can grow a miniature cannabis plant and reap the rewards of their small harvest. However, yield isn’t the main purpose of a cannabis bonsai.

Originally, cannabis bonsais were developed as a space-saving method for cloning. By keeping a bonsai mother plant, growers can continuously produce high-quality cuttings to start new plants without needing a large grow operation.

But for some, a canna-bonsai isn’t about clones or harvests—it’s simply about the artistry. Many growers cultivate cannabis bonsais for aesthetics, adding a unique, living centerpiece to their space.

It’s a great space saver. And if you want to dabble in some buds occasionally, they’re at your disposal (with proper care).

Pot & Container Size 

Start by using 0.5 to 3-litre pots, which should have holes at the bottom for drainage.

Soil & Nutrients

As with most potted plants, ensure you’re using a light, well-draining soil mix to prevent root rot.

It’s always recommended to lean organic when it comes to the full bonsai experience, with humus or bat guano. But in general, any soil that you would use for potted plants will work to start.

Light & Environment 

Since cannabis bonsais require a lot of attention and tending to, it’s best to keep them indoors. They’re also quite sensitive to light and will grow faster than anticipated without manual time cycles.

Indoors, you’ll need to place your marijuana bonsai under low-power lighting, more or less 125 to 250w, and avoid direct light in order to slow down its growth.

Tools For Training & Maintenance

Taking care of your bonsai can be a job on its own, but it is also an enjoyable one, especially for those with green thumbs. You must prune it regularly and keep it from over-twisting.

Here are some basic bonsai tools and cannabis-specific tools you’ll need for the process:

• Tweezers: For precision work
• pH Meter & Nutrients: For proper feeding
• Grow Lights: Full-spectrum LED or CFL lights
• Concave Cutters: Helps remove branches cleanly
• Humidifier or Spray Bottle: Keeps humidity levels stable
• Bonsai Shears: For pruning of leaves and small branches
• Small Pots or Trays – Keeps roots contained for a small plant
• Root Pruning Scissors: For trimming the roots without damage
• Wire & Pliers: Bonsai wire (aluminum or copper) to train the branches into shape
• Organic Soil & Drainage Material: Well-aerated soil with perlite, coco coir, or small rocks

Choosing The Right Cannabis Strain

Our recommendation? Do it with small and compact plants that work well indoors. The seeds below from Dutch Passion Seed Company produce strong branches with slow stretching, offering compact growth and alluring aromas.

The best strains include:

• Auto Orange Bud: This beautiful strain will be a pleasure to look at on a day-to-day basis, and smelling it is a whole other experience. Auto Orange Bud is a Sativa dominant hybrid with resinous buds ready to harvest around 10 weeds from seed. Its zesty, citrus-forward aroma will draw you in from the next room.
• Auto Blueberry: This stunning, mouthwatering strain is a sight for sore eyes. With its compact size, impressive buds, and mix of purple and green hues, Auto Blueberry makes for an excellent choice for your cannabis bonsai. It’s auto-flowering genetics bring you flowers in roughly 8-10 weeks.
• Kerosene Krash: For a bit more dank in your space, try Kerosene Krash. This powerful hybrid makes for an excellent mother plant—because you’ll want more where this came from. It’s made by crossing Gorilla Glue #4 and Sherbet to produce a high-THC strain packed with notes of diesel and sweet fruit.

The first thing you should know about growing your own cannabis bonsai is that it requires patience and dedication. It’s not entirely difficult, but you must make time for your new plant project.

Proceed to plant the selected cutting. Remember that it must be healthy, or you must stake it using a wooden stick. This will allow you to train the main stem. Just be careful not to damage the roots with the stake, preferably insert them simultaneously.

With a string, tie the cutting to the wooden stick. This lets you guide the stem where you want it to go, doing so by tying strings or threads and applying tension in the desired direction.

Starting From Seeds?: Choose plants with genetics known for smaller, compact growth (like the strains above). Germination is up to you, either the parper towel method, direct soil, etc. Start training your plant as soon as 3-4 true leaves grow.

Starting From Clones?: These are often easier to work with since they’ve grown past the sensitive seedling stage. They’ll also have more consistent growth patterns, considering they come from stable and healthy mother plants.

When The Time Is Right: Transfer your young plant to your pot once it has developed healthy roots and 3-4 true leaves.

Drill holes around the pot to help you tie down the stem, just around the pot’s rim. These holes will:

• Provide anchor points for training
• Be your guide for creating the unique bonsai shape
• Let you change the direction and tension as the plant grows

Gently bend and secure the main stem to control its shape. Be very gentle and try your best to avoid snapping your sweet baby plant.

Cannabis grows quickly, so check your plant every 2-3 days for new growth and adjustments.

Pruning is your main job when it comes to caring for your bonsai and creating its unique visual appearance:

• Keep enough leaves for photosynthesis
• Remove larger fan leaves that hide the structure
• Trim new growth tips to encourage lateral branching
• Focus on revealing the artistic form of stems and branches

As it grows, create artistic shape by directing branches in your chosen direction:

• Train side branches outward for stability
• Ensure your structure is balanced to avoid toppling over
• Aim for asymmetrical balance rather than perfect symmetry

Keep in mind that different techniques are used for different purposes: Low-stress training (LST) vs. high-stress training (HST) – when to use each method:

Low-Stress Training (LST): Gently bending and tying branches without breaking them. This is best for daily shaping, especially for beginners.

High-Stress Training (HST): Topping, FIMing, or supercropping are all pretty advanced techniques but can be used on a cannabis bonsai for major changes in structure.

Check for overgrowth and reshaping as needed. Adjust or replace training wires before they cut into growing branches, and remove any dead leaves or parts.

Water thoroughly but less frequently—you want the top inch of soil to dry out. As a general rule of thumb, use your regular nutrients at half-strength compared to regular cannabis growing.

Keep It As A Mother Plant:

• This requires continuous pruning to avoid flowering
• Let’s you use cuttings for clones whenever needed
• Can be maintained for years

Use It:

• Trigger flowering by switching her to a 12/12 light schedule
• Expect some stretching during the transition—be ready to adjust training
• Continue LST during early flowering, but stop training when buds develop
• Yields will be small but can be quite potent

As with regular cannabis plants, you might run into some issues with your marijuana bonsai. Let’s start troubleshooting:

Overgrowth

Cannabis naturally wants to grow tall, so you’ve gotta be ready to control it:

• Use more aggressive HST early on
• Consider root pruning once or twice a year
• Use less nitrogen in your feeding schedule
• Keep consistent light cycles to prevent stretching

Root Binding

This happens when the pot is too small for your cannabis bonsai, and it starts to affect its health:

• Watch for slowed growth or discoloration
• Consider fabric pots that keep roots well-ventilated
• Repot every 1-2 years, trimming up to 1/3 of the root mass
• If regular cannabis soil doesn’t work, use a well-draining bonsai soil mix to maximize oxygen

Overwatering

Your cannabis bonsai doesn’t need a lot of water. They might need more frequent watering, but less abundantly. You have to find the right balance:

• Water until you see slight runoff, then stop
• Allow the pot to become lighter in weight before watering again
• Ensure proper drainage with a layer of perlite at the bottom

A few factors come into play when determining if a cannabis bonsai is right for you. Let’s circle back:

Limited Space: Perfect for cannabis growers in small spaces who want to have a year-round cannabis plant.

Patience Level: Growing a cannabis bonsai is not for the hot-headed. It’s an art, and it takes patience and consistent attention.

Cultivation Goals: Want a new houseplant? What about a mother plant for new clones? That’s when a weed bonsai comes in handy.

With marijuana bonsai, cannabis cultivation takes on a whole new level of precision, artistry, and refinement. Wondering what seeds to start with? Dutch Passion Seed Company provides the best seeds that will give you a resilient bonsai cannabis tree, with the right cultivation touch, of course.