AI Support for Choosing the Right Bonsai Material in the ScandinavianBonsai App

When I visit plant nurseries in search of good bonsai material, a common sight is me standing there with my phone in hand, Googling the plant label — its Latin name and cultivar — to find out whether it is worth buying and if it could become something great in the future.

I usually search for images of mature trees and try to determine whether it is a species commonly used by others and one that I could also succeed with. Especially as a new bonsai enthusiast, the need for information was at its greatest. Today, ten years later, I find it much easier to judge suitable material, but I still come across species that spark my curiosity and that I want to learn more about before making a decision.

With the help of modern AI tools, it is now possible to get decision support — and that is why we have built this functionality directly into our app.

It is very simple. Just open the app and choose Scan Plant Label, take a photo of the label, and within seconds you will receive a description of the plant and whether it is suitable for bonsai or not. The result is shown clearly: a green checkmark if the plant is suitable, or a red cross if it is not suitable or not commonly used. Of course, nothing stops you from buying it anyway — but at least you now have solid knowledge about what you are purchasing.

If you then decide that this is a suitable purchase, the next benefit of the Scan Plant Label feature comes into play. I start by taking a new RFID tag, attach it to the tree, and scan it with my phone. Since the tag has not been used before, I am taken directly to the Create New Tree page. There, I use Scan Plant Label again and instantly receive all the plant information. With a single tap on the Use button, all relevant fields are filled in automatically. Add any additional notes, save — and you are done.

This is a feature I would have truly appreciated when I first started this hobby.