Fake Seeds Online: Rainbow Rose, Blue Strawberry and Bonsai
Rainbow rose seeds, blue strawberry seeds and “bonsai tree seeds” sold online are fake products, even though the seeds inside the packet may be real seeds of something. Rainbow roses exist only as dyed cut flowers. Strawberries come in red, pink or white, never blue. And bonsai is a way of training a normal tree, not a kind of seed. If a listing’s photo shows a plant that looks impossible, assume it is.
Spot it in ten seconds
- Impossible colour: blue strawberries, rainbow roses, purple watermelon, glowing flowers
- “Bonsai seeds” or “mini tree seeds”: a training method sold as a variety
- “100 pcs” with no weight, no botanical name: no seller accountability
- All five-star reviews in one line each: often fake
- Safer buys: sellers who print the botanical name, variety, pack date and germination test date
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Are rainbow rose seeds real?
No. A rainbow rose is a white rose whose cut stem is split and stood in several dyes, so each petal pulls up a different colour. Gardening magazine Sunset notes that rainbow carnations and other “impossible” flowers are made this way, with dye, not grown from seed. A rose seed, if you even get one, grows into a normal single-colour rose, and roses from seed don’t come true to their parent anyway. Real garden roses are propagated by cuttings or budding.
What usually arrives instead: tiny seeds of some common weed or grass, a mixed packet that grows into nothing in particular, or nothing at all.
Are blue strawberry seeds real?
No. Strawberries come in red, pink and white. Blue, black, purple, rainbow and “kiwi strawberry” photos are edited or AI-made images. Real strawberry growing in Pakistan and North India is done from runners or nursery plants planted in October and November; seed is slow and unreliable for beginners.
Are bonsai tree seeds real?
“Bonsai seeds” are ordinary tree seeds with a fancy label, at best. Bonsai is a technique: years of root pruning, branch wiring and small pots applied to a normal tree like ficus, jade or bougainvillea. No seed grows into a miniature tree by itself. Our bonsai for beginners guide covers how real bonsai starts, usually from a nursery plant or a cutting, not a packet.
Which other fake seeds are sold online?
| Listing | Real? | What’s actually true |
|---|---|---|
| Rainbow rose, rainbow carnation | No | Dyed cut flowers |
| Blue or black strawberry | No | Edited photos; strawberries are red, pink or white |
| Square or heart watermelon seeds | No | Grown in a box or mould; seeds give round fruit |
| Purple, blue or rainbow watermelon | No | Edited images |
| Glowing, cat-face or “dancing” flowers | No | AI images |
| Black tomato, purple carrot, purple brinjal | Often real | Real heirloom types exist; check the variety name |
| Dwarf or patio fruit tree seeds | Mostly no | Dwarf trees are grafted onto dwarfing rootstock |
The one search that exposes most scams
Search the species and variety, not the colour. Type “Rosa rainbow variety” or the botanical name the seller gives into an image search. Real varieties show up in nursery catalogues and university pages with photos that look like the plant you were promised. Scam images trace back only to other shop listings, all with the same photo.
How do you identify a fake seed listing?
- Look for the botanical name. A real seller can tell you exactly what the plant is.
- Check the count and weight. “100 pcs” with no weight or pack date is a warning.
- Read the three-star and one-star reviews, not just the five-star ones. Look for photos of what actually grew.
- Reverse image search the main photo. If it appears on many unrelated shops, or looks too perfect, skip it.
- Be wary of words like “rare”, “magic”, “bonsai”, “100% germination” and “imported” without a variety name.
- Check the price. Real rare seed is expensive; a cheap packet of a “rare” plant is a contradiction.
Where should you buy flower seeds instead?
From a seed shop or nursery that prints the variety, the pack and test date, and its own name and address on the packet. University and agriculture department seed sales, provincial horticulture fairs and well-known local seed houses are safer than anonymous marketplace sellers. Our vegetable seed buying guide covers desi, hybrid and F1 choices and storage, and the same checks apply to flowers. For a real, cheap start, try saving your own seed from marigold and zinnia: see flower seed saving.
Mystery seeds from unknown sellers can carry plant diseases or invasive weeds, and you can’t tell what you’re planting. Don’t sow seeds you can’t identify near your vegetables, and keep unknown seeds away from children, since some ornamental seeds, such as castor or rosary pea (ratti), are dangerous if chewed. Pay through a method that offers buyer protection, and never share card details or OTP codes with a seller who contacts you directly.
The verdict
If the plant looks like a cartoon, it’s a scam. Buy named varieties from sellers who stand behind them, and grow the colourful real flowers that already do well here: zinnia, marigold, petunia, portulaca, and roses from a good nursery. More on flowers is in Phool aur Paudhe.
Fake seeds online: common questions
Are rainbow rose seeds real?
No. Rainbow roses are white roses dyed through the stem after cutting. No seed grows into a rainbow rose.
Do blue strawberries exist?
No. Strawberries are red, pink or white. Blue strawberry photos are edited or AI images.
Can you grow a bonsai tree from seed?
You can grow a normal tree from seed and then train it as bonsai over many years. There’s no special bonsai seed that grows small by itself.
What do you actually get when you order rainbow rose seeds?
Usually seeds of some unrelated common plant, a mix of random seeds, or nothing. Buyers commonly report weeds or grasses.
How can I tell if seeds are fake?
Check for a botanical name, a pack and test date, a real seller address and believable photos. Impossible colours, piece counts without weight and one-line five-star reviews are red flags.
Are seeds from Daraz or Facebook sellers fake?
Not all of them. Many local sellers sell genuine vegetable and flower seed. Judge the listing, not the platform: impossible photos and missing variety names are the warning.
Are black tomato and purple carrot seeds real?
Often yes. Dark tomato and purple carrot varieties are real heirlooms. Check that the seller names the variety.
Can I get a refund for fake seeds?
Usually through the marketplace’s buyer protection, if you complain within its time limit with photos. Keep the packet and screenshots of the listing.
Are imported seeds safe to plant?
Unknown imported seed can carry diseases and invasive weeds. Buy from licensed sellers who name the variety and origin.