With local roots (pun intended), Vaughnsai is a budding local business.
Credit: @kaylabeeofficial
What started as a childhood memory has grown into one of Broward County's most unexpected small businesses.
Davie native, Air Force veteran and artist Vaughn Reynolds — better known these days as Vaughnsai — has transformed a newfound passion for bonsai into a growing Cooper City-based nursery, hands-on classes across South Florida and a series of Plant Bingo nights where lucky winners leave with everything from tropical houseplants to handcrafted bonsai trees.
It's a journey that traces back decades. Reynolds grew up on a South Florida horse ranch managed by his father, surrounded by animals and a handful of bonsai trees that, at the time, barely caught his attention. After serving in the Air Force, including a deployment to Iraq in 2006, and later losing his father in 2017, bonsai quietly re-entered his life through a class he attended with his girlfriend last year.
"I had zero plants in my house," Reynolds tells Browardist. "Now I have like a thousand bonsai trees. Literally a thousand."
An artist who studied at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, Reynolds quickly discovered bonsai was much more than miniature trees.
"Bonsai technically is an art form," he said. "You can apply it to all kinds of plants. Once I realized that, everything clicked because I already had that artistic background."
Today, Reynolds teaches beginner bonsai classes at Flamingo Road Nursery and Mounts Botanical Garden, where he estimates he's taught more than a thousand students. His private nursery in Cooper City specializes in a single species of bonsai, with trees available through local markets, special events and direct orders.
Beyond shaping tiny trees, Reynolds hopes to cultivate something bigger.
"My primary goal is to get people closer to nature," he said. "Pay attention to the seasons. Pay attention to watering, sunlight and the living things around you."
That mission carries added meaning as a 100% disabled veteran who says bonsai became an important outlet after struggling with PTSD, anxiety and the long-term effects of military service.
"Getting into bonsai completely changed my life," Reynolds said. "I started getting outside again, paying attention to another living thing. The patience, planning and nurturing that bonsai requires have been very healing."
His newest venture, Plant Bingo, has quickly found an audience throughout Broward and Miami-Dade. Hosted at breweries, restaurants and other gathering spots, the events swap cash prizes for locally sourced plants and Reynolds' original bonsai creations. Perhaps unlike similar events, every plant is sourced from fellow small growers whenever possible, helping circulate support throughout South Florida's plant community.
Recent partnerships are helping the concept grow even faster. Trulieve recently signed on to sponsor Plant Bingo events, while Reynolds is already looking toward expanding in early 2027. Long term, he hopes proceeds from Vaughnsai will fund free bonsai classes exclusively for veterans.
"I'd be happy if we just didn't fight anymore," Reynolds said. "For me, this is about moving people toward peace."
Upcoming appearances include Plant Bingo at Tripping Animals Taproom in Miami on July 15, Cafe27 in Southwest Ranches on July 22 and RA Sushi in Pembroke Pines on July 28, along with regular beginner bonsai classes and appearances at local farmers markets throughout South Florida.
