* Bulbasaur and its evolutions share the same [[species]] name as {{p|Sunkern}}. They both are known as the Seed Pokémon.
* Bulbasaur and its evolutions share the same [[species]] name as {{p|Sunkern}}. They both are known as the Seed Pokémon.
* Bulbasaur's number in the [[National Pokédex]] and the [[List of Pokémon by Fiore Browser number|Fiore Browser]] is the same: 001. This makes it and its evolution family one of only five families of Pokémon (comprising thirteen Pokémon altogether) to have the same numbers in more than one Pokédex-like listing.
* Bulbasaur's number in the [[National Pokédex]] and the [[List of Pokémon by Fiore Browser number|Fiore Browser]] is the same: 001. This makes it and its evolution family one of only five families of Pokémon (comprising thirteen Pokémon altogether) to have the same numbers in more than one Pokédex-like listing.
*Along with {{p|Charmander}}, {{p|Squirtle}}, Bulbasaur is the only starter Pokémon which is found in more than one [[regional Pokédex]], being found in both [[List of Pokémon by Johto Pokédex number|Kanto's]] and [[List of Pokémon by Johto Pokédex number|Johto's]].
* Along with {{p|Charmander}} and {{p|Squirtle}}, Bulbasaur is the only starter Pokémon which is found in more than one [[regional Pokédex]], being found in both [[List of Pokémon by Johto Pokédex number|Kanto's]] and [[List of Pokémon by Johto Pokédex number|Johto's]].
* Bulbasaur is the only dual-typed starter Pokémon, with {{t|Grass}} and {{t|Poison}}, in its basic form, even in [[Pokémon Mystery Dungeon]].
* Bulbasaur is the only dual-typed starter Pokémon, with {{t|Grass}} and {{t|Poison}}, in its basic form, even in [[Pokémon Mystery Dungeon]].
** Bulbasaur is the only {{type2|Poison}} [[starter Pokémon]].
** Bulbasaur is the only {{type2|Poison}} [[starter Pokémon]].
Bulbasaur is a reptilian creature that somewhat resembles a toad or a young dinosaur with a spotted blue-green hide. Its eyes are a bright red, but the most notable feature of this Pokémon is the onion-like bulb on its back. This bulb has a symbiotic relationship with the Pokémon, growing from a seed planted on its back by its mother at birth. Unlike the parasitic tochukaso mushrooms growing on the back of Paras, which eventually take over its body as it evolves into Parasect, Bulbasaur's bulb shares a symbiotic relationship beneficial for both. This allows Bulbasaur to get an enhanced boost of energy from the sun during the day and the bulb to remain growing and strong at night. The bulb also contains many seeds, from which it draws nutrients.
Though they usually walk on four legs, a Bulbasaur can rise up on its hind legs. When it evolves into Ivysaur, the bulb becomes a larger flower bud, and it loses this ability. This, in turn, causes Ivysaur and Venusaur to lose speed.
Gender differences
There are no differences in appearance between males and females of this species.
In the anime however, May's Bulbasaur had heart shaped spots on its forehead, which may be an anime-only indication of gender. However, all Bulbasaur may have unique spots on their bodies, regardless of gender.
Special abilities
Bulbasaur have a variety of Grass-type abilities granted to it by the bulb growing on its back. Powders, scents, petals, and seeds can come from the very tip of the bulb, and vines and leaves can come from the base. By manipulating these into moves like Leech Seed, Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Petal Dance, and Sweet Scent, Bulbasaur have quite an arsenal at their disposal.
The bulb can absorb sunlight, allowing Bulbasaur to restore health with Synthesis or fire off a powerful SolarBeam.
Behavior
Most Bulbasaur are domesticated Pokémon, raised by breeders to be distributed as starter Pokémon in the Kanto region. Due to this, they are regarded as mostly well-behaved Pokémon. Some consider them to be the easiest Pokémon to start with due to this, as well as the fact that they have a type advantage over the first two Gym Leaders in Kanto.
Bulbasaur tend to have a strong loyalty to their friends and Trainers. In The Mystery Menace, for example, a Bulbasaur was abandoned by its Trainer in the sewers of Trovitopolis and remained there for years, yet was still happy to see him when finally brought out from the sewer by Ash and his friends.
It is shown, in Bulbasaur's Mysterious Garden, that once annually in Kanto, large groups of Bulbasaur gather in a hidden garden to become Ivysaur. It is unknown whether or not this is the case in other regions.
Bulbasaur can sometimes be found lying in the sun during the day to photosynthesize energy when food is scarce.
Bulbasaur are scarce in the wild. Sometimes they can be found in secret places such as gardens, plains near large sources of fresh water, or hiding in the forest in hollow logs, but overall they are found far more often in the ownership of Trainers. It is native to Kanto.
Much like most Pokémon, Bulbasaur appears to be an omnivore. However, in times of scarcity, it does not need to eat much food, since the bulb on its back can store energy from the sun.
Ash's Bulbasaur first debuted in Bulbasaur and the Hidden Village as one of the Pokémon in the Hidden Village. Though initially wary of Ash, the two eventually warmed up to one another, and Bulbasaur challenged him to a battle. Using Pikachu, Ash won the battle, and Bulbasaur was captured. Unlike Charmander and Squirtle, which were captured in the two episodes following that of Bulbasaur, Bulbasaur remained in Ash's party until Bulbasaur... the Ambassador!, when Ash sent him to Professor Oak's lab to work as an ambassador between otherwise argumentative groups of Pokémon.
Much later on, when Ash was traveling in the Hoenn region, his companion May captured her own Bulbasaur after being separated from the group in Grass Hysteria. It remained with her throughout the rest of her journey in Hoenn, helping her to compete in the regionalGrand Festival. When she traveled to Kanto to continue her journey with Ash in The Right Place and the Right Mime, May too left her Bulbasaur at Professor Oak's lab to learn from Ash's while she and Ash's group traveled throughout the Battle Frontier in Kanto. May retrieved it during her travels in Johto, where it evolved all the way into a Venusaur.
Other
A Bulbasaur that used to belong to the Mayor of Trovitopolis appeared in The Mystery Menace. In his childhood, the mayor abandoned his Bulbasaur and sent it into the sewers when it wouldn't evolve into Ivysaur. Aided by Misty and Tracey, Ash found the abandoned Bulbasaur while searching for his own, which had gone missing. After defeating the arrogant mayor and his personal SWAT team, Ash and company left the Bulbasaur, which had grown rather large in its time in the sewers, with Nurse Joy.
In Journey to the Starting Line, Gilbert, the son of the mayor of Pallet Town, was supposed to start his journey as a Pokémon Trainer with one of the three Kanto Starter Pokémon, but they were scared off by Ash's Tauros. Professor Oak, Tracey, Delia and Gilbert set out to find them. The Bulbasaur was the last one to be found and it was stuck in a tree that was surrounded by a group of Primeape. In the end, Bulbasaur was the one that Gilbert decided to start with.
Minor appearances
Bulbasaur was mentioned in the first episode of the anime, Pokémon - I Choose You!, as one of the three starter Pokémon new trainers in Pallet Town can choose from. Ash dreamed of owning one, and it was his second choice of a starter, after Squirtle. However, when he arrived at Oak's lab, it was too late, as an unnamed Trainer who started the same day had already taken it.
Bulbasaur, it bears the seed of a plant on its back from birth. The seed slowly develops. Researchers are unsure whether to classify Bulbasaur as a plant or animal. Bulbasaur are extremely calm and are difficult to capture in the wild.
In I'm Your Venusaur, Ash and Misty travel to a town inhabited by many Bulbasaur, Ivysaur and Venusaur. There is a local legend that a giant Venusaur saved the townsfolk in battle.
In Magical Pokémon Journey, Pistachio has a Bulbasaur named Danerina. She has a crush on him and is extremely jealous whenever she sees him talking to other females.
Bulbasaur is a cute Pokémon born with a large seed firmly affixed to its back; the seed grows in size as the Pokémon does. Along with Squirtle and Charmander, Bulbasaur is one of the three Pokémon available at the beginning of Pokémon Red and Blue. It evolves into Ivysaur.
Game data
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation I.
Since in Generation I, the Template:Type2 was super-effective against Template:Type2 Pokémon, Bulbasaur was also the first Pokémon with a double weakness (to Bug). Due to Generation II's changes to type effectiveness, this "honor" has since been taken by Charizard, which is doubly weak to Template:Type2 moves.
Bulbasaur and its evolutions share the same species name as Sunkern. They both are known as the Seed Pokémon.
Bulbasaur's number in the National Pokédex and the Fiore Browser is the same: 001. This makes it and its evolution family one of only five families of Pokémon (comprising thirteen Pokémon altogether) to have the same numbers in more than one Pokédex-like listing.
Due to its secondary Poison-type, it is the only unevolved starter Pokémon which has an advantage over the others of its type, getting STAB from Poison-type moves (which weaken Grass-types) and not being weak to the same moves.
Though Bulbasaur have no gender differences in the games, May's Bulbasaur has little hearts on its head while Ash's does not, and has been confirmed female after its evolution.
It's also one of the three Pokémon that appeared in the anime with a heart-shaped spot, the others being Spinda and Wooper.
In Kanto, Bulbasaur has more advantages against Gym Leaders than the other starters. Its Template:Type2 attacks make it effective against Pokémon in the Pewter, Cerulean, and Viridian Gyms. Its Grass and Poison types also make it resistant to the Vermilion and Celadon Gyms' types. It only has weaknesses to the Cinnabar and Saffron Gyms.
Bulbasaur and Pikachu were on Ash's team in the anime for the longest continuous period of time. Their in-game cries are also variations of each other.
Bulbasaur appears to be based on some form of Dicynodont, mammal-like reptiles from the Permian period, though it also has features from toads and frogs as well as other reptiles. Its also has visible ears, which are not seen in reptiles but are in mammals. Its bulb resembles that of a lily or onion.
Name origin
Bulbasaur's name is a combination of the words bulb and saur, which is Greek for lizard. Its Japanese name literally means it's strange, isn't it?, and is a pun on, 不思議種 fushigidane, strange seed.
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
For other sprites and images, please see Bulbasaur images on Bulbagarden Archives.
