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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.
Treevaset specialises in 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.
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.
Deshojo is the most popular Japanese maple for bonsai — and for good reason. Explore its spring colour, growth behaviour, bark character, development strategy and why its ability to adapt leaf and internode size to bonsai culture makes it the benchmark cultivar.
Arakawa and Allen’s Gold are the only two Japanese maples with rough, pine-bark character. Compare bark development, seasonal colour, growth behaviour and development considerations to choose the right rough bark cultivar for your bonsai.
Air Layering Bonsai: How to Get Perfect Nebari in Weeks Air layering is one of the most underused techniques in
Compare Seigen, Beni Chidori and Orihime for bonsai development. This structural guide analyses internode behaviour, vigour and growth patterns to help you choose the right Acer palmatum cultivar for your development phase.
Technical evaluation of Acer palmatum bonsai suitability, analysing cultivar differences, structural traits and long-term development potential in Young Pre-Bonsai material.
Thread grafting is one of the most precise bonsai techniques. This guide explains how to create a branch exactly where you want it, how the graft fuses, and when to cut the original branch.
Bonsai is not the result: that comes after. Your enjoyment is what is important.
John Yoshio Naka
