Help from the Choipot

To find the right pot, you need to answer the following questions:

1. What kind of tree is it?

2. What is the style of the tree?

3. What is the species of the tree?

4. What is the color of the flowers?

5. What color is the fruit?

6. What is the color of the leaves?

7. What is the particularity / color of the bark?

8. How tall is the tree?

9. What is the width of the antler?

10. What is the diameter of the base of the tree?

At the end of this questionnaire, the choipot provides you with 6 results specifying the characteristics that your pot will need.

Deciphering the results of the choipot

The tool: The choipot

1. What kind of tree is it?

Masculine: the masculine side of a tree is often associated with conifers, but this is not necessarily a generalization. The masculine side is recognized for example by a powerful and imposing base, scars, important dead wood, a rough bark, a tortuous trunk which evokes a rough life.

Feminine: In contrast, a feminine tree is often associated with a deciduous tree. But a feminine tree is recognized by its fine and graceful movements, a slender bearing, a thin base, a smooth bark that will rather evoke refinement.

Neutral: we place in this category the trees which do not really have elements marking their masculine or feminine side.

2. What is the style of the tree?

There are 15 different styles. It's up to you to select the one that most closely matches your tree.

Source of illustrations
Thanks to Oscar Jonker of " Bonsaï Empire " for permission to use the illustrations.

3. What is the species of the tree?

If you don't know the species of your tree, I can only encourage you to do some research.

4. What is the color of the flowers?

Please note! The color of the flowers is to be completed only if the flowers are noteworthy and you wish to base your display on them.

For example, the color of Azalea flowers should be indicated. But for the color of Acer flowers, "uninteresting" should be ticked.

5. What color is the fruit?

Be careful! In the same way as for the flowers, it will be necessary to choose the color of the fruit if it is worthy of interest.

For example, a Pyracantha with orange berries could be interesting. You'll need to choose orange. On the other hand, the berries of a Juniper or Azalea won't be of much interest. You should therefore tick "uninteresting".

6. What is the color of the leaves?

Here the subjective side dominates, unlike flowers and fruits. You should indicate the color of the leaves if it is important to you in relation to the tree.

For an Acer, the choice will often be based on the color of the spring or fall leaves for example.

In the case of an elm, some people will appreciate the green of the leaves, so check "green". Others will find them unremarkable or prefer to display their tree in winter, in which case you'll need to tick "uninteresting".

7. What is the particularity / color of the bark?

As before, if your choice differs from "any", this means that your tree's bark is one of its strong points, particularly when it comes to choosing a pot.

8. How tall is the tree?

This is where you measure the height of your tree, (height in cm and without decimals).

Special case: for waterfalls and semi waterfalls, take the total height of the tree.

9. What is the width of the antler?

As for the height, take the width of the branch in cm and without decimals.

Special case of forests and other compositions with several trunks: take the total width of the branch.

10. What is the diameter of the base of the tree?

The diameter of the base is measured just above the Nebari.

Source of the photo

Special case of forests and other compositions with several trunks: take the measurement on the father tree (the largest and dominant tree in the composition).

Deciphering the results

At the end of the questionnaire, the choipot gives you at least 6 answers, namely

• The shape of your pot: round, square, hexagonal, rectangle or oval
• The presence of a flange with sharp corners, a thin flange with broken corners or the absence of a flange and corners
• The texture of the pot: glazed, smooth raw, rough raw
• The color, whether enamel or clay
• The height of the pot given in cm
• The width of the pot given in cm

It is possible to obtain more than 6 answers. In fact, some results may be equal. It is then up to you to make your choice from the proposals made by the choipot.

Obviously, the results obtained are not binding and are not intended to represent the absolute truth! The tool simply aims to guide you in your choice of pot.