If you’ve caught a cute little Budew and want to evolve it into the elegant Roselia (and later Roserade), you’re in the right place! Though it looks small and harmless, Budew can grow into a strong ally when handled with care and patience. In this guide, you’ll learn how to evolve Budew, how to increase its friendship level, where to find it, and a few extra tricks to speed up the process.
Let’s dive into the world of Budew and uncover how to unlock its full potential!
🌱 About Budew
Budew is an adorable Grass/Poison-type Baby Pokémon first introduced in Generation IV. Despite its small size, this little bud holds immense potential and symbolizes the start of spring. You can often spot it in sunny or mildly warm environments, as it reacts to temperature changes — opening its flower bud when it feels warmth and closing it tightly during cold seasons.
However, don’t be fooled by its cute looks! The pollen released by Budew’s flower is mildly poisonous, making it a deceptively strong Pokémon in battle. Its abilities, including Natural Cure and Poison Point, make it both defensive and versatile, especially against Water, Ground, and Rock-type Pokémon.
When raised with love and care, Budew evolves into Roselia, and then into Roserade, one of the most stylish and powerful Grass/Poison Pokémon in the series.
🌸 How Budew Evolves
Evolving Budew is not as simple as leveling it up — it requires friendship and timing. Here’s the formula:
Budew → (High Friendship + Daytime Level Up) → Roselia → (Shiny Stone) → Roserade
This means Budew will only evolve into Roselia if it levels up during the day and has a high friendship score (typically 220 or higher). Once it evolves into Roselia, you can then use a Shiny Stone to evolve it into Roserade.
So, let’s break down how to make this happen.
🌼 Where to Find Budew
Before you evolve one, you need to catch one! Budew’s location depends on which Pokémon game you’re playing.
Here are some of the best-known locations to find Budew in popular titles:
🗺️ In Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl (Sinnoh Region)
- Routes: 204 and 212
- Eterna Forest: Common spawning area near pools and ponds
Budew thrives in grassy and humid environments, so check near clear water bodies for the best chance.
🗺️ In Pokémon Sword & Shield (Galar Region)
- Wild Areas: Dappled Grove, Rolling Fields, East Lake Axewell
- Weather Condition: Appears most often in overcast weather
Look for small patches of grass, and you might spot Budew wandering around playfully.
🗺️ In Pokémon Legends: Arceus (Hisui Region)
- Found around Crimson Mirelands and Obsidian Fieldlands
- Often seen near marshy terrain and riversides
Budew prefers sunlight but isn’t fond of harsh conditions. If you’re patient, you’ll soon encounter one ready to join your team!
🌞 Steps to Evolve Budew into Roselia
Once you’ve caught Budew, it’s time to help it bloom into Roselia. The process revolves around increasing friendship, leveling up, and timing your evolution properly.
Let’s go through each step in detail.
🌿 Step 1: Increase Budew’s Friendship
Friendship (also known as happiness) is key to Budew’s evolution. The higher your friendship, the closer you are to evolving it.
Here’s how to raise Budew’s friendship effectively:
- Walk with Budew in your party – Simply having Budew with you as you explore increases its happiness gradually.
- Feed it treats – Give it Poffins, Vitamins (like Calcium, Protein, or Zinc), or certain Berries (such as Soothe, Grepa, and Hondew).
- Let it hold a Soothe Bell – This item doubles friendship gains, speeding up the process.
- Avoid fainting in battles – Each time Budew faints, it loses friendship points, which can delay evolution.
- Win battles without switching – Keeping Budew active in fights helps strengthen your bond.
- Visit a Pokémon Spa or Groomer (in games that include them) – These interactions raise friendship quickly.
💡 Pro Tip: In some games, you can check your Pokémon’s friendship level using a Friendship Checker App or NPC in major cities like Hearthome City.
Once Budew’s friendship level reaches 220 or higher, it’s ready to evolve — but only under the right conditions.
🌤️ Step 2: Level Up During the Day
This step is crucial — Budew will only evolve during daytime once it has high friendship.
- Daytime in most Pokémon games lasts from 4:00 AM to 7:59 PM.
- If Budew levels up at night (even with max friendship), it will not evolve.
To make sure evolution happens:
- Keep track of the in-game clock.
- Give Budew an Exp. Candy or participate in a low-stakes battle during the day.
- When it gains a level, you’ll see the evolution animation kick in, transforming Budew into Roselia.
🌹 Step 3: Evolve Roselia into Roserade
Once Budew evolves into Roselia, the next step is to turn it into Roserade, one of the strongest Grass/Poison Pokémon available.
All you need is a Shiny Stone.
💎 How to Find a Shiny Stone:
- Found on Iron Island or Route 228 (in Sinnoh-based games).
- In Sword & Shield, you can locate it in the Lake of Outrage area.
- You can also earn or buy it through certain in-game challenges or raids.
Once you have the Shiny Stone:
- Open your bag.
- Select the Shiny Stone.
- Use it on Roselia.
And just like that, Roselia will evolve into the graceful Roserade!
🌼 Why You Should Evolve Budew
You might be wondering — is it worth evolving Budew? Absolutely! Here’s why:
💪 1. Better Stats
Roselia and Roserade boast significantly higher base stats than Budew, giving you improved Attack, Speed, and Special Defense — perfect for both offensive and defensive plays.
🌸 2. Competitive Battle Advantage
Roserade excels in status effects (like Toxic and Sleep Powder) and special attacks (like Giga Drain, Sludge Bomb, and Energy Ball), making it a powerful choice in both casual and competitive battles.
🧬 3. Unique Typing
Grass/Poison typing gives Roserade a natural edge against Water, Fairy, and Ground types — while still holding its own against many others.
🌞 4. Aesthetic Appeal
Let’s face it — Roserade’s design is iconic. Its dual-colored rose hands (red and blue) and graceful battle stance make it one of the most elegant Pokémon you can train.
🌿 Common Mistakes to Avoid
While evolving Budew is simple in theory, many trainers make small errors that delay evolution. Keep these in mind:
- ❌ Leveling up at night: Budew only evolves during the day, no matter how high the friendship.
- ❌ Letting Budew faint repeatedly: This drops friendship levels significantly.
- ❌ Forgetting to equip Soothe Bell: This doubles friendship growth, saving time.
- ❌ Ignoring weather and time zones: Some games use real-time clocks, so evolve when it’s truly daytime in your game.
🌻 Extra Tips to Speed Up the Process
If you’re in a hurry to evolve Budew, try these advanced trainer tips:
- Use Luxury Balls when catching Budew — Pokémon caught in them gain friendship faster.
- Feed it Curry in Sword & Shield — it boosts friendship and restores HP simultaneously.
- Play with it in Pokémon Camp or Pokémon-Amie (depending on your game version).
- Use Exp. Candies during the daytime for instant level-ups once friendship is maxed out.
Following these steps ensures Budew evolves quickly without unnecessary grinding.
🌺 Final Evolution Line
| Stage | Pokémon | Evolution Method |
|---|---|---|
| 1️⃣ | Budew | Base form (found in wild) |
| 2️⃣ | Roselia | Level up during the day with high friendship |
| 3️⃣ | Roserade | Use Shiny Stone on Roselia |
🌷 Final Thoughts
Evolving Budew may take a bit of patience, but it’s absolutely worth the effort. From a shy little bud to a dazzling flower warrior, Budew’s journey to Roserade is one of beauty and strength.
By ensuring high friendship, leveling up during the day, and using a Shiny Stone, you’ll soon have a powerful and graceful Pokémon that can handle anything thrown its way.
So get ready, train your Budew with love, and watch it bloom into one of the most stunning evolutions in Pokémon history. 🌹