Have you seen a flower at someone else’s house that’s so pretty you want to add it to your own garden? Have you found something growing that you don’t remember planting and wonder if it’s a weed or a flower? Did you just catch your dog (or child) chowing down on something and wonder if it’s toxic?
Fortunately we live in an age where answers are at our fingertips. There are some great plant identification apps available. If you have one on your phone, in most cases all you have to do is snap a photo and let the app tell you what you’re looking at! If you opt for the premium versions, you may also be able to identify plant diseases affecting your plants and even set up reminders to water your plants.
Listed below are some of the more popular plant identification apps and the links to download them.
Plant Snap
From the app listing “Instantly identify over 600,000 types of plants: flowers, trees, succulents, mushrooms, cacti and more with PlantSnap!
Learn how to take care of plants: PlantSnap now teaches you how to grow and care for your plants. We have added gardening tips and advice for tens of thousands of plant species”
This app contains over 600,000 plants in their searchable database. Consequently, it can identify 90% of all known species of plants and trees, usually within seconds of snapping a photo! This app also has an “Explore” function to let you browse photos of previously identified plants. You can also create your own library of your favorite plants.
Pl@ntNet (by PlantNet)
From the app listing: “Pl@ntNet allows you to identify and better understand all kinds of plants living in nature: flowering plants, trees, grasses, conifers, ferns, vines, wild salads or cacti. Pl@ntNet can also identify a large number of cultivated plants (in parks and gardens) but this is not its primary purpose. We especially need Pl@ntNet’s users to inventory the wild plants, those that you can observe in nature of course but also those that grow on the sidewalks of our cities or in the middle of your vegetable garden!”
Unlike some of the other apps listed here, this app helps more with pure identification and does not have tips for cultivation and care. The app does, however, have links to fact sheets and you can see flowers from around the world.
Seek (by iNaturalist)
From the app listing: “Drawing from millions of wildlife observations on iNaturalist, Seek shows you lists of commonly recorded insects, birds, plants, amphibians, and more in your area. Scan the environment with the Seek Camera to identify organisms using the tree of life. Add different species to your observations and learn all about them in the process! The more observations you make, the more badges you’ll earn!”
The cool thing about this app is it’s not just flowers or plants. You can also take pictures of wildlife so it would be fun for a walk in the woods as well as your garden. It also has monthly challenges which could be fun for avid hikers.
SmartPlant (by SnappTech)
With SmartPlant you can discover and care for plants for free. Identify and browse thousands of plants, add the plants you love and relax while we give you the info you need to look after them.
In addition to identifying plants, this app also has a feature that provides plant care advice. Simply add your plants and you will get monthly care reminders. If you have questions, you have the ability to chat with experts. If you’re looking for some inspiration for your own garden, the app also has a “Discover” section where you can browse plants and see what strikes your fancy.
PictureThis – Plant Identifier (by Glority)
From the app listing: “When you take a walk during sunny days, have you ever come across a beautiful flower you would know more about? When you’re doing gardening work, have you ever needed tips on plant caring? Simply take a photo of the plant, PictureThis answers all the questions for you.
PictureThis is capable of identifying 17,000+ plant species with accuracy of 98%. With revolutionary artificial intelligence engine, it’s constantly learning from experts and specialists, identify more and better everyday. And now it’s all at your fingertips! Picture this plant, and enjoy!”
This app will help you keep your plants healthy with plant care tips and water reminders. You can also submit a photo to help diagnose plant diseases. You can also build a “plant collection” online of plants you have or plants you want.
Plant identifiers can help you enhance your flower beds
