How Much Does a Bonsai Cost, and Why: You Pay for Years, Not Centimetres
October 17, 2026
A bonsai costs anything from a few euros to more than a car, and the difference is neither height nor species: it
About the grower
Luca Valagussa
Bonsai grower and founder of Treevaset
I started Treevaset because I wanted to grow bonsai material the way I believe it should be done — from cuttings and seeds, with structure and long-term development in mind from day one. Before bonsai became my work, I spent years in finance. The trees were always there, though. What began as a personal collection of Japanese maples gradually became a nursery, and eventually a business focused on making quality pre-bonsai material accessible across Europe.
What I do
Treevaset has a special focus on non-grafted Acer palmatum cultivars for bonsai development. I propagate every plant from cuttings to preserve the true characteristics of each variety — consistent leaf size, internode length, and long-term behaviour. No grafts, no shortcuts. The nursery is based in Merate, near Lecco in northern Italy, where the climate allows year-round work with both deciduous and conifer species.
Beyond the nursery, I produce educational content on YouTube, covering practical techniques like air layering, thread grafting, structural pruning and species-specific development. The goal is always the same: share what actually works, based on what I see in the trees every day.
My approach to bonsai
I believe bonsai works best when you understand the biology first and the aesthetics second. A tree that is healthy, well-fed and correctly timed will develop structure on its own terms — your job is to guide it, not force it. This is especially true with Japanese maples, where patience with internode control and seasonal timing produces results that no amount of aggressive pruning can replicate.
I also believe that bonsai should be accessible. You do not need decades of experience or expensive material to start building something meaningful. A well-selected young pre-bonsai, some basic knowledge and consistent attention will take you further than most people expect. That is why Treevaset exists — to provide the starting point and the guidance to go with it.
Species I work with
Acer palmatum — 10+ cultivars
Pinus sylvestris
Pinus mugo
Picea abies
Larix decidua
Taxus baccata
Juniperus chinensis
Taxodium distichum
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Acer buergerianum
Olea europaea sylvestris
Chaenomeles japonica
Cotoneaster simonsii
Lycium barbarum
Fraxinus ornus
Tilia cordata
Ligustrum vulgare
Articles by Luca
Yew Bonsai Care Guide (Taxus baccata): Pruning, Deadwood and Winter
October 17, 2026
Partial shade is enough, frost does not bother it, and it buds back on old wood: the yew is the conifer that
Olive Bonsai Care Guide (Olea europaea and wild olive)
October 17, 2026
Full sun, water with restraint, a cold but sheltered winter and a pruning routine that cuts every shoot back to the first
How to Prune a Bonsai: When, What and How Much to Cut
October 8, 2026
Pruning a bonsai is three decisions in a fixed order: when, what and how much. This beginner’s guide takes the rules from
Yamadori Bonsai: What to Collect, and What to Leave in the Ground
October 8, 2026
A yamadori is a tree taken from the wild to become a bonsai. The trunk is the one thing you cannot grow
Red Japanese Maple Bonsai: the Acer palmatum cultivars that are truly red
October 8, 2026
Most people looking for a red maple bonsai picture a tree that is red all year round. It does not exist. What
From Luca's Nursery
Take home a tree grown by Luca
Every young tree in the catalogue is propagated from seed or cutting at Luca’s nursery in Brianza. The trees in training were bought, collected or taken over as raw material and trained by him for years; nothing is bought finished to resell. See the trees →
The rare varieties that make us specialists in Europe.
Browse the cultivars →
Young maples and conifers, ready for training.
See the collection →
A real tree, not seeds. The perfect way in (and a great gift).
Choose your kit →
Learn with me
Stuck with your own tree?
I offer 1-to-1 sessions: we look at your bonsai together, on video or in person at my nursery in Merate, near Milan, and you leave with a clear plan. From €29, and sending your request is free.
Never made one?
Come to my nursery near Milan: two hours, everything included, and you leave with a bonsai you shaped yourself. From €50, and sending your request is free.
Bonsai is not the result: that comes after. Your enjoyment is what is important.
John Yoshio Naka