Crochet Bonsai Tree Pattern with a Sculpted Trunk and Oval Leaves

This crochet bonsai tree pattern creates a small sculptural plant with several separate components. The rectangular pot supports a padded soil insert and a curved trunk, while flat oval leaves sit on branches of matching sizes. Taller stitches and carefully moved round markers create the shape of the trunk. The original project is marked intermediate and measures approximately 22 cm tall by 25 cm wide with the recommended yarn and hook.

Materials for the Crochet Bonsai Tree Pattern

• A 4 mm crochet hook and light-worsted / DK yarn.
• Source yarn amounts: light green 160 m, dark green 72 m, light brown 80 m, dark brown 80 m and light gray 10 m.
• A tapestry needle, fiberfill and a stitch marker.
• Optional pins to test branch positions before sewing.

Before you begin

Use US terminology and work in spirals unless stated otherwise. Sc, hdc and dc mean single, half double and double crochet. Inc1sc means 2 sc in one stitch; inc2sc means 3 sc in one stitch. Sc2tog/sc3tog reduce two/three stitches to one, and dc2tog reduces two dc to one. The numbers below are source step numbers: some steps are stuffing, marker moves or several rounds, so do not treat every numbered step as one round.

Make the light-green pot and its four supports

Please note, these abbreviations look very alike but are slightly different: inc1sc = increase 1 = crochet 2 in next stitch inc2sc = increase 2 = crochet 3 in next stitch

1. MR4 =4

2. inc2sc in every st. =12

3. Repeat 4x(1sc, inc2sc in next st, 1sc). =20

4. Repeat 4x(2sc, inc2sc in next st, 2sc). =28

5. Repeat 4x(3sc, inc2sc in next st, 3sc). =36

6. Repeat 4x(4sc, inc1sc in next st, 4sc). =40

7. Repeat 4x(5sc, inc1sc in next st, 4sc). =44

8. Repeat 4x(5sc, inc2sc in next st, 5sc). =52

9. Repeat 4x(6sc, inc1sc in next st, 6sc). =56

10. Repeat 4x(7sc, inc1sc in next st, 6sc). =60

11. Repeat 4x(7sc, inc2sc in next st, 7sc). =68

12. Repeat 4x(8sc, inc1sc in next st, 8sc). =72

13. Repeat 4x(9sc, inc1sc in next st, 8sc). =76

14. Repeat 4x(9sc, inc2sc in next st, 9sc). =84

15. Repeat 4x(10sc, inc1sc in next st, 10sc). =88

16. Repeat 4x(11sc, inc1sc in next st, 10sc). =92

17. Repeat 4x(11sc, inc2sc in next st, 11sc). =100

18. Repeat 4x(12sc, inc2sc in next st, 12sc). =108

19. Crochet 5 rounds of sc. =108

20. Crochet 1sc and move your stitch marker/starting point of the round to this point. Continue to work on the next step, do not finish the round.

21. Repeat 4x(12sc, sc3tog, 12sc). =100

22. Crochet 4 rounds of sc. =100

23. Crochet 1sc and move your stitch marker/starting point of the round to this point. Continue to work on the next step, do not finish the round.

24. Repeat 4x(11sc, sc3tog, 11sc). =92

25. Repeat 4x(11sc, sc2tog, 10sc). =88

26. Repeat 4x(10sc, sc2tog, 10sc). =84

27. Repeat 4x(9sc, sc3tog, 9sc). =76

28. Repeat 4x(9sc, sc2tog, 8sc). =72

29. Repeat 4x(8sc, sc2tog, 8sc). =68

30. Repeat 4x(7sc, sc3tog, 7sc). =60

31. Repeat 4x(7sc, sc2tog, 6sc). =56

32. Repeat 4x(6sc, sc2tog, 6sc). =52

33. Repeat 4x(5sc, sc3tog, 5sc). =44

34. Repeat 4x(5sc, sc2tog, 4sc). =40

35. Repeat 4x(4sc, sc2tog, 4sc). =36

36. Repeat 4x(3sc, sc3tog, 3sc). =28

37. Repeat 4x(2sc, sc3tog, 2sc). =20

38. Repeat 4x(1sc, sc3tog, 1sc). =12

39. Repeat 4x(sc3tog). =4

40. Crochet 1slst and fasten off.

41. Do not stuff the flowerpot.

42. Place the last slst you crocheted on top of the MR of step 1 and fold the flowerpot in shape.

43. The supports for the flowerpot: MR6 =6

44. inc1sc in every st. =12

45. 1sc, inc1sc in next st. Repeat all round. =18

46. 1sc, sc2tog. Repeat all round. =12

47. Stuff the support a little bit, do not use too much stuffing.

48. sc2tog, repeat all round. =6

49. sc3tog, skip 1st, crochet 1slst and fasten off.

50. Make 4 in total.

51. Sew the supports onto the bottom of the flowerpot underneath every corner, as pictured below. Keep a distance of 8 rounds of sc in between the top of the pot and the outside of the support.

Crochet and shape the dark-brown soil

1. MR4 =4

2. inc2sc in every st. =12

3. Repeat 4x(1sc, inc2sc in next st, 1sc). =20

4. Repeat 4x(2sc, inc2sc in next st, 2sc). =28

5. Repeat 4x(3sc, inc2sc in next st, 3sc). =36

6. Repeat 4x(4sc, inc1sc in next st, 4sc). =40

7. Repeat 4x(5sc, inc1sc in next st, 4sc). =44

8. Repeat 4x(5sc, inc2sc in next st, 5sc). =52

9. Repeat 4x(6sc, inc1sc in next st, 6sc). =56

10. Repeat 4x(7sc, inc1sc in next st, 6sc). =60

11. Repeat 4x(7sc, inc2sc in next st, 7sc). =68

12. Repeat 4x(8sc, inc1sc in next st, 8sc). =72

13. Repeat 4x(9sc, inc1sc in next st, 8sc). =76

14. Repeat 4x(9sc, inc2sc in next st, 9sc). =84

15. Repeat 4x(10sc, inc1sc in next st, 10sc). =88

16. Repeat 4x(11sc, inc1sc in next st, 10sc). =92

17. Repeat 4x(11sc, sc2tog, 10sc). =88

18. Repeat 4x(10sc, sc2tog, 10sc). =84

19. Repeat 4x(9sc, sc3tog, 9sc). =76

20. Repeat 4x(9sc, sc2tog, 8sc). =72

21. Repeat 4x(8sc, sc2tog, 8sc). =68

22. Repeat 4x(7sc, sc3tog, 7sc). =60

23. Repeat 4x(7sc, sc2tog, 6sc). =56

24. Repeat 4x(6sc, sc2tog, 6sc). =52

25. Repeat 4x(5sc, sc3tog, 5sc). =44

26. Repeat 4x(5sc, sc2tog, 4sc). =40

27. Repeat 4x(4sc, sc2tog, 4sc). =36

28. Stuff the soil with fiberfill.

29. Repeat 4x(3sc, sc3tog, 3sc). =28

30. Repeat 4x(2sc, sc3tog, 2sc). =20

31. Stuff the soil with fiberfill.

32. Repeat 4x(1sc, sc3tog, 1sc). =12

33. Stuff the soil with fiberfill.

34. Repeat 4x(sc3tog). =4

35. Crochet 1slst and fasten off.

36. Get a long strand of dark brown yarn and pull the yarn with your sewing needle or crochet hook through the soil, from top to bottom and back. Tighten the yarn, this way little dents will occur. Make two flat knots on top of each other to secure the yarn. Repeat this 16 times, or as much as you like. This will give the soil some strenght and a more natural look.

37. Place the soil in the flowerpot and sew it in place.

Build the curved trunk

1. ch30, close the chain with a slst. =30

2. 30sc. =30

3. 8sc, sc2tog. Repeat all round. =27

4. 7sc, sc2tog. Repeat all round. =24

5. 6sc, sc2tog. Repeat all round. =21

6. 4sc, 3hdc, 7dc, 3hdc, 4sc. =21

7. 4sc, 3hdc, 7dc, 3hdc, 4sc. =21

8. 4sc, 3hdc, 7dc, 3hdc, 4sc. =21

9. 4sc, 3hdc, 7dc, 3hdc, 4sc. =21

10. 4sc, 3hdc, 7dc, 3hdc, 4sc. =21

11. 10sc, sc2tog, 9sc. =20

12. 9sc, sc2tog, 9sc. =19

13. 8sc, sc2tog, 9sc. =18

14. Crochet 10sc and move your stitch marker/starting point of the round to this point. Continue to work on the next step, do not finish the round.

15. 3sc, 3hdc, 6dc, 3hdc, 3sc. =18

16. 3sc, 3hdc, 6dc, 3hdc, 3sc. =18

17. 3sc, 3hdc, 6dc, 3hdc, 3sc. =18

18. 3sc, 3hdc, 6dc, 3hdc, 3sc. =18

19. 3sc, 3hdc, 6dc, 3hdc, 3sc. =18

20. 3sc, 3hdc, 6dc, 3hdc, 3sc. =18

21. 3sc, 3hdc, 6dc, 3hdc, 3sc. =18

22. 3sc, 3hdc, 6dc, 3hdc, 3sc. =18

23. 3sc, 3hdc, 6dc, 3hdc, 3sc. =18

24. 3sc, 3hdc, 6dc, 3hdc, 3sc. =18

25. 3sc, 3hdc, 6dc, 3hdc, 3sc. =18

26. 8sc, sc2tog, 8sc. =17

27. 7sc, sc2tog, 8sc. =16

28. 7sc, sc2tog, 7sc. =15

29. Stuff the tree with fiberfill.

30. 7sc, sc2tog, 6sc. =14

31. Crochet 7sc and move your stitch marker/starting point of the round to this point. Continue to work on the next step, do not finish the round.

32. 2sc, 2hdc, 6dc, 2hdc, 2sc. =14

33. 2sc, 2hdc, 6dc, 2hdc, 2sc. =14

34. 2sc, 2hdc, 6dc, 2hdc, 2sc. =14

35. 2sc, 2hdc, 6dc, 2hdc, 2sc. =14

36. 2sc, 2hdc, 6dc, 2hdc, 2sc. =14

37. 2sc, 2hdc, 2dc, dc2tog, 2dc, 2hdc, 2sc. =13

38. 2sc, 2hdc, 5dc, 2hdc, 2sc. =13

39. Stuff the tree with fiberfill.

40. 2sc, 2hdc, 1dc, dc2tog, 2dc, 2hdc, 2sc. =12

41. 2sc, 2hdc, 4dc, 2hdc, 2sc. =12

42. Stuff the tree with fiberfill.

43. 2sc, 2hdc, 4dc, 2hdc, 2sc. =12

44. 2sc, 2hdc, 4dc, 2hdc, 2sc. =12

45. Stuff the tree with fiberfill.

46. 2sc, 2hdc, 1dc, dc2tog, 1dc, 2hdc, 2sc. =11

47. 5sc, sc2tog, 4sc. =10

48. 4sc, sc2tog, 4sc. =9

49. 4sc, sc2tog, 3sc. =8

50. Stuff the tree with fiberfill.

51. 8sc. =8

52. 8sc. =8

53. Crochet 4sc and move your stitch marker/starting point of the round to this point. Continue to work on the next step, do not finish the round.

54. 1sc, 1hdc, 4dc, 1hdc, 1sc. =8

55. 2sc, 1hdc, 2dc, 1hdc, 2sc. =8

56. Stuff the tree with fiberfill.

57. 2sc, 1hdc, 2dc, 1hdc, 2sc. =8

58. 2sc, 1hdc, 2dc, 1hdc, 2sc. =8

59. Stuff the tree with fiberfill.

60. 6sc, sc2tog. =7

61. 5sc, sc2tog. =6

62. Stuff the tree with fiberfill.

63. 4sc, sc2tog. =5

64. 3sc, sc2tog. =4

65. 2sc, sc2tog. =3

66. 1slst and fasten off.

67. Stuff the bottom of the tree some more with fiberfill if needed and sew the tree on top of the soil, right in the middle.

Make three small stones

1. Stone A: MR6 =6

2. inc1sc in every st. =12

3. 1sc, inc1sc in next st. Repeat all round. =18

4. 1sc, sc2tog. Repeat all round. =12

5. sc2tog, repeat all round. =6

6. sc3tog, skip 1st, crochet 1slst and fasten off.

7. Do not stuff the stone with fiberfill.

8. Stone B: MR6 =6

9. inc1sc in every st. =12

10. sc2tog, repeat all round. =6

11. sc3tog, skip 1st, crochet 1slst and fasten off.

12. Stone C: MR6=6

13. sc3tog, sc2tog, 1slst and fasten off.

14. Do not stuff the stone with fiberfill.

15. Place the stones onto the soil, next to the tree. Place stone A a little bit on top of stone B, place stone C next to A and B with 1-2sc in between.

Crochet the three leaf sizes

There are three sizes of leaves: A, B and C.

Type A: make 2 in total

1. ch5, turn.

2. Start working in the 2nd ch st as counted from the crochet hook: 3sc, inc2sc in next st. =6

3. Continue to work on the bottom of the foundation chain: 3sc, inc2sc in next st. You have now created a new round counting 12 stitches. Continue to work in spirals. =12

4. 3sc, repeat 3x(inc1sc in next st), 3sc, repeat 3x(inc1sc in next st). =18

5. 3sc, repeat 3x(1sc, inc1sc in next st), 3sc, repeat 3x(1sc, inc1sc in next st). =24

6. 3sc, repeat 3x(2sc, inc1sc in next st), 3sc, repeat 3x(2sc, inc1sc in next st). =30

7. 3sc, repeat 3x(3sc, inc1sc in next st), 3sc, repeat 3x(3sc, inc1sc in next st). =36

8. 3sc, repeat 3x(3sc, sc2tog), 3sc, repeat 3x(3sc, sc2tog). =30

9. 3sc, repeat 3x(2sc, sc2tog), 3sc, repeat 3x(2sc, sc2tog). =24

10. 3sc, repeat 3x(1sc, sc2tog), 3sc, repeat 3x(1sc, sc2tog). =18

11. 3sc, repeat 3x(sc2tog), 3sc, repeat 3x(sc2tog). =12

12. 3sc, sc3tog, 3sc, sc3tog. =8

13. Crochet 1slst and fasten off.

14. Do not stuff the leaf with fiberfill but flatten it and sew the remaining hole shut.

Type B: make 4 in total

1. ch5, turn.

2. Start working in the 2nd ch st as counted from the crochet hook: 3sc, inc2sc in next st. =6

3. Continue to work on the bottom of the foundation chain: 3sc, inc2sc in next st. You have now created a new round counting 12 stitches. Continue to work in spirals. =12

4. 3sc, repeat 3x(inc1sc in next st), 3sc, repeat 3x(inc1sc in next st). =18

5. 3sc, repeat 3x(1sc, inc1sc in next st), 3sc, repeat 3x(1sc, inc1sc in next st). =24

6. 3sc, repeat 3x(2sc, inc1sc in next st), 3sc, repeat 3x(2sc, inc1sc in next st). =30

7. 3sc, repeat 3x(2sc, sc2tog), 3sc, repeat 3x(2sc, sc2tog). =24

8. 3sc, repeat 3x(1sc, sc2tog), 3sc, repeat 3x(1sc, sc2tog). =18

9. 3sc, repeat 3x(sc2tog), 3sc, repeat 3x(sc2tog). =12

10. 3sc, sc3tog, 3sc, sc3tog. =8

11. Crochet 1slst and fasten off.

12. Do not stuff the leaf with fiberfill but flatten it and sew the remaining hole shut.

Type C: make 3 in total

1. ch5, turn.

2. Start working in the 2nd ch st as counted from the crochet hook: 3sc, inc2sc in next st. =6

3. Continue to work on the bottom of the foundation chain: 3sc, inc2sc in next st. You have now created a new round counting 12 stitches. Continue to work in spirals. =12

4. 3sc, repeat 3x(inc1sc in next st), 3sc, repeat 3x(inc1sc in next st). =18

5. 3sc, repeat 3x(1sc, inc1sc in next st), 3sc, repeat 3x(1sc, inc1sc in next st). =24

6. 3sc, repeat 3x(1sc, sc2tog), 3sc, repeat 3x(1sc, sc2tog). =18

7. 3sc, repeat 3x(sc2tog), 3sc, repeat 3x(sc2tog). =12

8. 3sc, sc3tog, 3sc, sc3tog. =8

9. Crochet 1slst and fasten off.

10. Do not stuff the leaf with fiberfill but flatten it and sew the remaining hole shut.

Make the matching branches

There are three types of branches, each belongs to the same type of leaf: A, B and C.

Type A: make 2 in total

1. MR6 =6

2. 4sc, sc2tog. =5

3. 3sc, sc2tog. =4

4. Crochet 5 rounds of sc. =4

5. 2sc, sc2tog. =3

6. Crochet 1slst and fasten off.

7. Do not stuff the branch with fiberfill.

Type B: make 4 in total

1. MR6 =6

2. 4sc, sc2tog. =5

3. 3sc, sc2tog. =4

4. Crochet 4 rounds of sc. =4

5. 2sc, sc2tog. =3

6. Crochet 1slst and fasten off.

7. Do not stuff the branch with fiberfill.

Type C: make 3 in total

1. 5 sc in a magic ring =5

2. 3sc, sc2tog. =4

3. Crochet 4 rounds of sc. =4

4. 2sc, sc2tog. =3

5. Crochet 1slst and fasten off.

6. Do not stuff the branch with fiberfill.

Position and sew the foliage

the tree together: Some things to keep in mind: Divide the tree in three parts. – Place the heaviest leaves (A) and their branches mostly on the bottom third of the tree, but maybe also one in the middle (depending on how many leaves you want to add yourself). – Place the lightest leaves (C) and their branches on the top third of the tree. – Place the medium weight leaves (B) and their branches on the middle part and bottom third of the tree. …this way the tree will keep its balance and will be able to stand on its own in the end. If you place leaves on the end of the tree that are too heavy, it will tip over. If you want, use some small pins or small skewer sticks to try out some different positions with leaves on the tree trunk. You can adjust them until you are happy with the final composition. Also: When finally sewing all branches and leaves onto the tree, make sure all leaves are pointing in the same direction. First, sew all branches onto the three, one by one: And then, sew the matching leaves (type A leaves for type A branches, etc) onto the branches. Keep the edge of the leaf close to the tree itself. Repeat until all branches and leaves are sewn onto the tree.

Questions before you finish

Should I stuff the leaves?

No. The leaves and branches are left unstuffed. Flatten each leaf and sew its remaining opening closed.

How do I keep the bonsai balanced?

Try the positions before sewing. The source places the heavier A leaves mainly on the lower third, the light C leaves near the top and the medium B leaves in the middle and lower areas.

More Crochet Flowers and Plants

For another handmade botanical project, try our crochet watermelon coleus plant or ribbed crochet cactus.

Design credit

Original design and reference photographs: the supplied Bonsai Tree Crochet Pattern. This article is an editorial adaptation of the supplied pattern.