#0001 · Kanto · Generation 1 · starter

Bulbasaur

Seed Pokémon · Grass/Poison-type

Bulbasaur is a Grass/Poison-type Pokémon, the Seed Pokémon, number 1 (#0001) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 1 and comes from the Kanto region. It is 0.7 m tall and weighs 6.9 kg.

Bulbasaur is the Seed Pokémon, a squat Grass and Poison quadruped that has carried a plant on its back since the day it was born. It is number 001 in the National Pokédex and one of the three Kanto starters.

How to pronounce Bulbasaur

Bulbasaur is pronounced BUL-buh-sor. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Bulbasaur said out loud:

In Japanese it is フシギダネ (Fushigidane).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Bulbasaur is blue-green with darker blotches, and has red eyes, pointed ear-like bumps and three claws on each foot. The bulb on its back grew from a seed planted at birth, hides two slender vines, and swells as Bulbasaur grows. The Pokédex says a young one lives on the seed's nutrients and on sunlight, so it can go for days without eating. It is 0.7 m tall and weighs 6.9 kg.

Behaviour

It likes to nap in bright sunlight. Because starters are raised by people from birth, Bulbasaur is gentle and fiercely loyal, even after long abandonment. In the anime it mothers smaller Pokémon, once rocking a crying one in its vines while it sang. When its bulb flashes blue it is ready to evolve, but a Bulbasaur that does not want to can fight the change off.

Habitat

Grassland and forest across Kanto, though wild ones are rare. In Scarlet and Violet it has settled in the Terarium at Blueberry Academy.

Diet

Canon names no particular food. The Pokédex says it draws energy from its bulb and from sunlight, and can go days without a meal.

Powers

Bulbasaur whips with its vines, fires Razor Leaf, drains foes with Leech Seed, puts them to sleep with Sleep Powder, and later charges up Solar Beam. Its Ability Overgrow boosts Grass moves when it is low on health; its Hidden Ability Chlorophyll doubles its Speed in sunshine. In battle it is a sturdy special attacker that wears opponents down with status moves.

Name origin

Bulbasaur joins 'bulb' to '-saur', the dinosaur ending, and sounds like 'bulbous'. The Japanese name Fushigidane (フシギダネ) likely combines fushigi ('strange') and tane ('seed'), and puns on 'fushigi da ne?' ('isn't it strange?').

Design inspiration

Atsuko Nishida designed Bulbasaur by working backwards from Venusaur, so the first Pokémon in the Pokédex was the last of its line to be drawn. Ken Sugimori has said the line was inspired by frogs: the stubby legs and ear bumps recall horned frogs, and the bulb looks like an onion or a lily bud.

Evolution notes

Ivysaur at level 16, then Venusaur at level 32. Venusaur can Mega Evolve or Gigantamax.

In the games

In Red and Green (Red and Blue outside Japan), where it first appeared, the rival Blue picks it if you choose Squirtle. In Scarlet and Violet it arrives via Pokémon HOME or The Indigo Disk, and in Legends: Z-A it roams Wild Zone 20 in Lumiose City.

In the anime

Ash's Bulbasaur debuted in 'Bulbasaur and the Hidden Village' and chose never to evolve, staying with Ash until he sent it to Professor Oak's lab to keep the peace between squabbling Pokémon.

Fun facts

• Bulbasaur and Rowlet are the only starters that have two types from their very first stage.
• Its line is the only starter family with the Poison type.
• In the Japanese Blue and the international Red and Blue, Professor Oak introduces it as the 'plant Pokémon' rather than the Seed Pokémon.
• In 2001 the Pacific island nation of Niue put Bulbasaur on a 1 dollar silver coin.
• Bulbasaurus, a real prehistoric animal, is officially not named after it, though the scientists admitted the likeness 'may not be entirely coincidental'.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Bulbasaur (Pokémon) · Bulbapedia: Venusaur (Pokémon) · Serebii: Bulbasaur (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 45
• Attack: 49
• Defense: 49
• Sp. Atk: 65
• Sp. Def: 65
• Speed: 45

Bulbasaur’s base stat total is 318. Its highest stat is Sp. Atk and Sp. Def.

Type matchups

What is Bulbasaur weak to?

Bulbasaur takes extra damage from Fire (2×), Ice (2×), Flying (2×), Psychic (2×) moves.

It resists Grass (¼×), Water (½×), Electric (½×), Fighting (½×), Fairy (½×).

Evolution

How does Bulbasaur evolve?

Bulbasaur evolves into Ivysaur at level 16.

The whole family: Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur.

• Ivysaur evolves into Venusaur at level 32.

Abilities

• Overgrow: Strengthens Grass moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
• Chlorophyll (hidden ability): Doubles Speed during strong sunlight.

Moves

Moves Bulbasaur learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (34)

Bulbasaur can learn 34 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Charm, Protect, Acid Spray, Trailblaze, Facade, Magical Leaf, Venoshock, Endure, Sunny Day, Bullet Seed, False Swipe, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Seed Bomb, Grass Knot, Rest, Swords Dance, Substitute, Giga Drain, Energy Ball, Helping Hand, Grassy Terrain, Grass Pledge, Sludge Bomb, Leaf Storm, Solar Beam, Tera Blast, Toxic, Knock Off, Weather Ball, Grassy Glide, Double-Edge, Curse.

Egg moves (4):Curse, Ingrain, Petal Dance, Toxic.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 87.5% male, 12.5% female.
• Egg groups: Monster, Grass.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 45 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium Slow (1,059,860 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 1 Sp. Atk effort value.
• Base experience yield: 64.

Pokédex entries

While it is young, it uses the nutrients that are stored in the seed on its back in order to grow. (Shield)

There is a plant seed on its back right from the day this Pokémon is born. The seed slowly grows larger. (FireRed, Sword)

It can go for days without eating a single morsel. In the bulb on its back, it stores energy. (Yellow, Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Let’s Go, Eevee!)

Bulbasaur can be seen napping in bright sunlight. There is a seed on its back. By soaking up the sun's rays, the seed grows progressively larger. (Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire)

For some time after its birth, it grows by gaining nourishment from the seed on its back. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2, Y)

A strange seed was planted on its back at birth. The plant sprouts and grows with this Pokémon. (Red, Blue, LeafGreen, X)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Taller than 34% of all Pokémon (0.7 m).
• Heavier than 21% of all Pokémon (6.9 kg).
• Base stat total 318, ranked #787 of 1,025.
• One of 14 Pokémon that are both Grass and Poison.
• One of 130 green Pokémon.
• Number 1 of 151 Pokémon introduced in Generation 1 (Kanto).
• Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
• Can learn 48 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 9 distinct Pokédex entries.

Sources and fact-checking

• Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
• Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Bulbasaur (Pokémon), Bulbapedia: Venusaur (Pokémon), Serebii: Bulbasaur (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (BUL-buh-sor): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 19 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Grass-type Pokémon · Poison-type Pokémon · Grass/Poison weaknesses and matchups · Bulbasaur vs Charmander · Bulbasaur vs Squirtle · Kanto region guide · Overgrow ability · Chlorophyll ability · Compare Bulbasaur · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

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Gen 1 Grass-type Pokémon · Gen 1 Poison-type Pokémon · Gen 1 Pokémon list · Green Pokémon list · Monster egg group · Grass egg group · Pokémon that start with B · Frog Pokémon

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