Whether you spotted an eye-catching flower on your morning walk or have an unrecognizable weed growing in your garden, plant identifier apps can help you put a name to a variety of plants. In addition to identification, many popular apps offer essential care information and can diagnose plants suffering from diseases or pests. While these apps are extremely useful, there are so many to choose from that it can be difficult to find one that suits your needs. Here's a compiled list of the ten best apps for identifying plants and flowers, as recommended by gardeners.
Use These 10 Apps to Identify Plants and Flowers
Are you going on a walk or planning a stroll to your favorite garden center? These expert-approved apps will help you identify unfamiliar plants and flowers if you're not sure what you're looking at. A brilliant idea!
Photo: @gregsavesplants
1. LeafSnap
LeafSnap was developed by experts at Columbia University, the University of Maryland, and the Smithsonian Institution. The app can identify over 32,000 plant taxons from around the world and provides personalized care information for your plants, such as recommendations and step-by-step instructions.
2. Greg
Greg is a plant identifier app that includes 'PlantVision', which lets users identify plants with their phone's camera. Greg will tell you the plant's name, care instructions, and more. Users can also add plants to a care schedule within the app to set reminders for when to water the plant. Users with iOS and Android can use this app and it is completely free of charge!
3. iNaturalist
iNaturalist, a popular free tool among gardeners and nature enthusiasts, identifies plants, animals, and fungi using photos and additional information such as location and time. According to Tess Renusch, a member of the National Wildlife Federation's native plant habitats team, the app and website, a collaboration between the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society, are the most robust options for people looking to get an accurate plant ID. Simply upload a photo on both iOS and Android devices, and the tool will provide both app-generated identification suggestions and expert insights.
Photo: @inaturalistorg
4. Pl@ntNet
Pl@ntNet is both a plant identification app and a way to participate in a citizen science project. The tool makes plant identification suggestions based on photos and your location, and it also indicates whether the plant is invasive. Linda Langelo, horticulture specialist at Colorado State University, adds that scientists analyze every photo collected by the app and study the plants to learn about the evolution of plant biodiversity. Yet another free app for both iOS and Android devices.
Photo: @plantnet
5. PictureThis
PictureThis, which was created by botanists and gardeners, can identify plants with 98 percent accuracy. It identifies 17,000 local species and 400,000 from around the globe. In addition to plant identification, PictureThis can diagnose plant issues and provide detailed plant care and toxicity information. For this app, you can pay $6 per month or $30 per year to enjoy all its features.
6. PlantSnap
PlantSnap is an easy-to-use plant identification app with a database of over 650,000 plants, including flowers, cacti, succulents, and mushrooms. Simply upload a photo and receive detailed information about the plant without any guesswork. The iOS version also includes a new feature called auto-detect, which tells you when to take the photo so you get the best shot every time. It allows you to identify up to five plants per day for free but anything beyond that requires a paid plan ($20 per year for unlimited access).
Photo: @plantsnap
7. Planta
Planta is intended to identify houseplants and their care requirements. It includes 'smart care reminders', which tell you when to fertilize your plants, how much water to give them, what light to put them in, and when to repot them. You program your location, weather, the plant, the light in the room, and other information and you respond promptly to the instructions. The app also includes a light meter that indicates whether a plant can survive in a specific room.
8. Garden Answers
Garden Answers instantly identifies over 20,000 plants and tells you whether they have a disease or insect problem. According to garden professionals who have used it, the app has experts available to provide advice and keeps an archive of all of your previous questions and answers for future reference. For Android and iOS, it's free of charge.
9. Growbot
Growbot, the first artificial intelligence-powered garden assistant, is an innovative app that combines gardening and technology, supported by iOS and free of charge. Identify plants by describing their features to Growbot and discover all the care information you need for your plant. Growbot also can diagnose any pests or diseases and offer solutions for handling them. It is supported by 150 years of experience at Park Seed, a mail-order and eCommerce seed company.
10. From Seed to Spoon
Carrie Spoonemore, co-creator of Park Seed's From Seed to Spoon app, describes it as an all-in-one garden guide that includes personalized planting dates, companion planting guides, informative blogs, video guides, recipes, and more. The tool includes a calendar and notifications for estimated sprouting and harvest dates to keep you informed about the status of your garden. It also allows you to quickly identify pests or diseases and find organic treatments within the app.
This app is available for iOS, Android, and web. It is free if you want to use the most basic features of the app, however, you can pay $5 per month or $47 per year to access all of the app's features.
Give Them a Try
The majority of these apps are free and can be downloaded right this second. Give them a try and make the most out of your plant adventure and new learnings.
