---
title: "Sunkern (#0191): Stats, Weaknesses, Moves & Lore | pokee.si"
url: "https://pokee.si/pokemon/sunkern"
description: "Sunkern (#0191): Grass-type Seed Pokémon from Johto. Base stat total 180. Stats, matchups, evolutions, moves, every Pokédex entry and lore on pokee.si."
last_updated: "2026-10-21"
publisher: "pokee.si: a Pokédex for families (unofficial fan site)"
last_checked: "2026-10-19"
---

#0191 · Johto · Generation 2

# Sunkern

Seed Pokémon · Grass-type

![Sunkern official artwork](https://pokee.si/img/art/191.webp)

Sunkern is a [Grass](https://pokee.si/types/grass)-type Pokémon, the Seed Pokémon, number 191 (#0191) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 2 and comes from the [Johto](https://pokee.si/guide/regions/johto) region. It is 0.3 m tall and weighs 1.8 kg.

Sunkern is the Seed Pokémon, a tiny sunflower seed with the lowest base stat total of any Grass type, and it knows it. It barely moves, saving its strength for its evolution.

## How to pronounce Sunkern

Sunkern is pronounced **SUN-kern**. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Sunkern said out loud:

[Listen](https://pokee.si/audio/names/191.mp3)

In Japanese it is ヒマナッツ (Himanuts).

Hear every other name on the [Pokémon pronunciation guide](https://pokee.si/pronounce).

## Lore

### Biology

Sunkern is a small, mostly yellow, seed-like Pokémon with a sprout on top, spiky points around the sprout and three broad brown stripes down its face. It is 0.3 m (1'00") tall and weighs 1.8 kg (4.0 lbs). Its eyes are small and black with white pupils, and because its eyelids are brown the stripes look unbroken when it closes them.

### Behaviour

Sunkern moves as little as it can so that the nutrients stored in its body last until it evolves. The Pokédex says that if a Spearow attacks, all it can do is shake its leaves violently. Several entries add that it can suddenly drop from the sky, usually in the morning.

### Habitat

The Pokédex habitat is grassland, and Bulbapedia says temperate, grassy meadows. In Scarlet and Violet it lives in Paldea's South Province, Areas One and Two, and appears in 1 star Tera Raid Battles.

### Diet

Several Pokédex entries say it lives on dew collected beneath leaves, though the Black 2, White 2 and Scarlet entries say it simply feeds until it evolves.

### Powers

Sunkern can have Chlorophyll or Solar Power, both of which work in strong sunlight, with Early Bird hidden. It learns Mega Drain, Razor Leaf, Giga Drain and Solar Beam. Every one of its base stats is 30, so it is best treated as an evolution project, not a fighter.

### Name origin

Sunkern may combine 'sunflower' and 'kernel'. The Japanese name is Himanuts (ヒマナッツ), possibly from 向日葵 himawari (sunflower) and 'nuts', and perhaps also 夏 natsu (summer).

### Design inspiration

Sunkern seems modelled on a sunflower seed, though that is a fan reading.

### Evolution notes

Sunkern evolves into Sunflora when a Sun Stone is used on it.

### In the games

Sunkern has no major story role, and players first met it in Gold and Silver. It was unobtainable in Sword and Shield, is back in Scarlet and Violet, and is not available in Legends: Z-A.

### In the anime

Sunkern debuted in 'Moving Pictures', where Ash and his friends came across one in a field, frozen. Ash later evolved it with a Sun Stone, and the resulting Sunflora called up more of its kind so that a couple celebrating their golden anniversary could have their photograph taken.

### Fun facts

- Sunkern and Sunflora are the only Pokémon with Early Bird as a hidden Ability.
- No Pokémon gives less base experience than Sunkern, at 36, and Blipbug matches it.
- In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Gold's Sunkern, Sunbo, evolves into Sunflora without a Sun Stone, because sunlight bouncing off the rocks of Ilex Forest imitates one.

Sources: [Bulbapedia: Sunkern (Pokémon)](https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Sunkern_(Pok%C3%A9mon)) · [Serebii: Sunkern (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)](https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sv/sunkern/)

## Base stats

- HP: **30**
- Attack: **30**
- Defense: **30**
- Sp. Atk: **30**
- Sp. Def: **30**
- Speed: **30**

Sunkern’s base stat total is **180**. Its highest stat is HP and Attack and Defense and Sp. Atk and Sp. Def and Speed.

## Type matchups

### What is Sunkern weak to?

Sunkern takes extra damage from [Fire](https://pokee.si/types/fire) (2×), [Ice](https://pokee.si/types/ice) (2×), [Poison](https://pokee.si/types/poison) (2×), [Flying](https://pokee.si/types/flying) (2×), [Bug](https://pokee.si/types/bug) (2×) moves.

It resists [Water](https://pokee.si/types/water) (½×), [Electric](https://pokee.si/types/electric) (½×), [Grass](https://pokee.si/types/grass) (½×), [Ground](https://pokee.si/types/ground) (½×).

## Evolution

### How does Sunkern evolve?

Sunkern evolves into [Sunflora](https://pokee.si/pokemon/sunflora) (Sun Stone).

The whole family: **Sunkern**, [Sunflora](https://pokee.si/pokemon/sunflora).

## Abilities

- [Chlorophyll](https://pokee.si/abilities/chlorophyll): Doubles Speed during strong sunlight.
- [Solar Power](https://pokee.si/abilities/solar-power): Increases Special Attack to 1.5× but costs 1/8 max HP after each turn during strong sunlight.
- [Early Bird](https://pokee.si/abilities/early-bird) (hidden ability): Makes sleep pass twice as quickly.

## Moves

### Moves Sunkern learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [Tackle](https://pokee.si/moves/tackle) | Normal | Physical | 40 |
| 1 | [Growth](https://pokee.si/moves/growth) | Normal | Status | — |
| 7 | [Absorb](https://pokee.si/moves/absorb) | Grass | Special | 20 |
| 10 | [Mega Drain](https://pokee.si/moves/mega-drain) | Grass | Special | 40 |
| 16 | [Razor Leaf](https://pokee.si/moves/razor-leaf) | Grass | Physical | 55 |
| 19 | [Worry Seed](https://pokee.si/moves/worry-seed) | Grass | Status | — |
| 22 | [Giga Drain](https://pokee.si/moves/giga-drain) | Grass | Special | 75 |
| 25 | [Endeavor](https://pokee.si/moves/endeavor) | Normal | Physical | — |
| 28 | [Synthesis](https://pokee.si/moves/synthesis) | Grass | Status | — |
| 31 | [Solar Beam](https://pokee.si/moves/solar-beam) | Grass | Special | 120 |
| 34 | [Double-Edge](https://pokee.si/moves/double-edge) | Normal | Physical | 120 |
| 36 | [Sunny Day](https://pokee.si/moves/sunny-day) | Fire | Status | — |
| 39 | [Seed Bomb](https://pokee.si/moves/seed-bomb) | Grass | Physical | 80 |

### TM moves (28)

Sunkern can learn 28 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: [Take Down](https://pokee.si/moves/take-down), [Protect](https://pokee.si/moves/protect), [Trailblaze](https://pokee.si/moves/trailblaze), [Facade](https://pokee.si/moves/facade), [Magical Leaf](https://pokee.si/moves/magical-leaf), [Endure](https://pokee.si/moves/endure), [Sunny Day](https://pokee.si/moves/sunny-day), [Rain Dance](https://pokee.si/moves/rain-dance), [Bullet Seed](https://pokee.si/moves/bullet-seed), [Sleep Talk](https://pokee.si/moves/sleep-talk), [Seed Bomb](https://pokee.si/moves/seed-bomb), [Light Screen](https://pokee.si/moves/light-screen), [Grass Knot](https://pokee.si/moves/grass-knot), [Rest](https://pokee.si/moves/rest), [Substitute](https://pokee.si/moves/substitute), [Giga Drain](https://pokee.si/moves/giga-drain), [Energy Ball](https://pokee.si/moves/energy-ball), [Encore](https://pokee.si/moves/encore), [Helping Hand](https://pokee.si/moves/helping-hand), [Earth Power](https://pokee.si/moves/earth-power), [Grassy Terrain](https://pokee.si/moves/grassy-terrain), [Leaf Storm](https://pokee.si/moves/leaf-storm), [Solar Beam](https://pokee.si/moves/solar-beam), [Tera Blast](https://pokee.si/moves/tera-blast), [Weather Ball](https://pokee.si/moves/weather-ball), [Double-Edge](https://pokee.si/moves/double-edge), [Endeavor](https://pokee.si/moves/endeavor), [Curse](https://pokee.si/moves/curse).

Egg moves (6):[Curse](https://pokee.si/moves/curse), [Encore](https://pokee.si/moves/encore), [Grassy Terrain](https://pokee.si/moves/grassy-terrain), [Ingrain](https://pokee.si/moves/ingrain), [Leech Seed](https://pokee.si/moves/leech-seed), [Morning Sun](https://pokee.si/moves/morning-sun).

## Breeding & training

- Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
- Egg groups: Grass.
- Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
- Catch rate: 235 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: 36.

## Pokédex entries

Sunkern tries to move as little as it possibly can. It does so because it tries to conserve all the nutrients it has stored in its body for its evolution. It will not eat a thing, subsisting only on morning dew. *(Ruby, Sapphire, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire)*

It lives by drinking only dewdrops from under the leaves of plants. It is said that it eats nothing else. *(Silver, FireRed, SoulSilver, Y)*

It may plummet from the sky. If attacked by a Spearow, it will violently shake its leaves. *(HeartGold, X)*

It suddenly falls out of the sky in the morning. Knowing it's weak, it simply feeds until it evolves. *(Black 2, White 2)*

It suddenly falls out of the sky in the morning. A year after a cold summer, their population explodes. *(Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White)*

It may drop out of the sky suddenly. If attacked by a Spearow, it will violently shake its leaves. *(Gold, LeafGreen)*

## Names around the world

- **Japanese**: ヒマナッツ
- **Romaji**: Himanuts
- **French**: Tournegrin
- **German**: Sonnkern
- **Spanish**: Sunkern
- **Italian**: Sunkern
- **Korean**: 해너츠
- **Chinese (Simplified)**: 向日种子
- **Chinese (Traditional)**: 向日種子

## Trivia

- Lowest base stat total among Grass types: 180.
- Lowest base stat total among Gen 2 Pokémon: 180.
- Shortest Grass type in Gen 2: 0.3 m.
- Slowest Grass type in Gen 2: 30 Speed, shared with 1 other.
- Lowest base stat total among Grass types in Gen 2: 180.
- Taller than 4% of all Pokémon (0.3 m).
- Heavier than 6% of all Pokémon (1.8 kg).
- Base stat total 180, ranked #1023 of 1,025.
- One of 127 Grass-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
- One of 88 yellow Pokémon.
- Number 40 of 100 Pokémon introduced in Generation 2 (Johto).
- Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
- Can learn 38 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
- Catch rate 235: about 30.7% per Poké Ball at full health.
- Appears in 8 distinct Pokédex entries.

## Sources and fact-checking

- Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: [PokéAPI](https://pokeapi.co) open game data.
- Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from [Bulbapedia: Sunkern (Pokémon)](https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Sunkern_(Pok%C3%A9mon)), [Serebii: Sunkern (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)](https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sv/sunkern/).
- Pronunciation (SUN-kern): 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](https://pokee.si/types/grass) · [Johto region guide](https://pokee.si/guide/regions/johto) · [Chlorophyll ability](https://pokee.si/abilities/chlorophyll) · [Solar Power ability](https://pokee.si/abilities/solar-power) · [Early Bird ability](https://pokee.si/abilities/early-bird) · [Compare Sunkern](https://pokee.si/compare?ids=191) · [Full Pokédex](https://pokee.si/pokedex) · [Type chart](https://pokee.si/types) · [All moves](https://pokee.si/moves)

## Browse similar Pokémon

[Gen 2 Grass-type Pokémon](https://pokee.si/types/grass/gen-2) · [Gen 2 Pokémon list](https://pokee.si/pokedex/gen-2) · [Yellow Pokémon list](https://pokee.si/colours/yellow) · [Grass egg group](https://pokee.si/egg-groups/grass) · [Pokémon that start with S](https://pokee.si/pokemon-names/s) · [What does the Sun Stone evolve?](https://pokee.si/evolution/sun-stone)

← [Aipom](https://pokee.si/pokemon/aipom) | [Sunflora](https://pokee.si/pokemon/sunflora) →

---

Source: https://pokee.si/pokemon/sunkern (HTML page). pokee.si is an unofficial fan site and is not affiliated with Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK or The Pokémon Company. Pokémon and all related names and images are © their respective owners.