Our product
The plant which we grow driven by our passion and due to the favorable pedoclimatic conditions of the Biella region is the Japanese maple tree (Acer palmatum and Acer japonicum; Section: Palmata; Genus: Acer; Family: Aceraceae; Order: Sapindales). It was introduced in Italy in the nineteenth century (the palmatum in 1825 and the japonicum in 1888) and cultivated in the Biella area from the second half of 1900. Today this is a typical Italian product, not only because the main European production is concentrated in North Western Italian territories, which extend from Biella to Brianza, but also due to its cultural and symbolic value.
This plant has foreign origins, back in the land of the rising sun, which symbolizes the impermanence of all things. Its origins are reminiscent of the voyages of discovery, dictated not by thirst for conquest, but by the insatiable need to look beyond what its nature could offer, towards the beauty inherent in the nature of other countries and in the culture of other peoples, towards the elusiveness of the sublime. At the same time it holds the familiarity of what has become something of its own, that was acquired and assimilated with long lasting and loving care, with research of soil and terrain, with techniques of diffusion and cultivation. Research, which is typical to the Italian spirit: in fact, according to Leopardi – from the Italian region of “Marche”- beautiful is neither simple nature nor pure artifice, but the synthesis between what nature offers and the artistry with which humans shape it. And it is exactly having found his home that it is ready to move elsewhere: towards other places, other cultures and climates where to root as a living beauty, alien and familiar at a time.
Our project
We grow Japanese Maples, following the whole productive cycle from the seed to the plant ready for planting. We grow on open fields in order to produce strong plants, hardened for climatic adversity. We cultivate quality in order to achieve well-designed plants both in root (periodically transplanted finally potted) both in the structure of the crown (periodical and accurate pruning). We take care of the marketing and logistics to establish a direct relationship between producer and consumer (gardener, gardening centers, garden centers, cash and carry) in order to propose a quality product at a reasonable price to the European market.
Our current reality
We have a seedbed that provides us annually with a sufficient number of young plants to be cultivated; 1500 square meters of tunnels for growing in a protected environment (hail and frost) of young grafted plants and rods; a 4-hectare nursery in which the plants can grow; two men, passionate and well trained, who follow the farming activities. Since 2008 we have been present with a stand at the IPM in Essen (Germany) and since 2013 at PLANTARIUM in Boskoop (Holland). Based on the principle of commercial ethics we have been able to extend the distribution of our products onto the Italian market (especially by means of fractioning of supplies and the ability to deliver small quantities in wooden boxes) and root our presence in Europe.
Our future
Hoping that it will give us the possibility to live our passion, is planned to be driven by the golden rule from Roman times “Non multa sed multum” which in our case stands for “Quality, not quantity”. In order to achieve this we focus on the development of some productive steps, collaboration with research for varietal improvement and genetic resistance (especially in the field of vascular wilt) and the achievement of an appropriate production of solitars.