Identifying Plant Life
"The diversity of life forms, so numerous that we have yet to identify most of them, is the greatest
wonder on this planet."
- Leo Buscaglia
wonder on this planet."
- Leo Buscaglia
introduction
One of the most useful pieces of information about a landscape is the types of plants it supports. Modern landscapes will typically have a wide range of plants in them, from volunteers that pop up from year to year to intentionally installed shrubs and trees. Landscape plant identification is vital for the safety of those in the garden, resource management, and ecological understanding. It provides crucial information for managing natural ecosystems, informs conservation and beautification efforts, and allows for the safe consumption or use of plant parts. Most importantly for horticulturalists, plant identification can facilitate learning about specific plant needs and effective use for landscaping and cultivation.
Trusting the Process
Identifying a plant can be a bit of an undertaking, but having a tried-and-true process that works for your individual needs can go a long way in making the task much simpler. Generally, plants are easily identified when they are fully leafed out and have flowers on them, which occurs in spring or summertime for most species. A simple identification process can be followed at this time of the year. Venture out into the garden and snap pictures of any mystery plants, making sure to capture the overall plant and its general size and habit, foliage and stems, and flowers. It is helpful on woody plants like shrubs and trees to get some photos of the color and texture of the bark, as well. Take note if the flowers or foliage have a smell to them, if the plant has vining stems, or any other unique characteristics that might come in handy while identifying. Also note if the plant is deciduous or evergreen; this can be an important identification factor.
Knowing some basic botany can be extremely helpful in the beginning stages of plant identification. For example, learning to identify different leaf shapes and attachment types, stem shapes, and flower compositions can narrow down searches quickly. To brush up on the various plant parts, see the Botany I and Botany II modules.
Using technology To identify Plants
After gathering all of the information readily available from the plant itself, plug the photographs into an image recognition service such as Google Image Search or iNaturalist, which are both available on most smartphones. Typically, these search engines will come up with a correct answer relatively quickly, especially if the photos submitted are of flowers and/or foliage. Sometimes, however, these tools will come up with vague or obviously incorrect answers. Plugging in alternative photos of landscape plants can clear this up, but some plant species are just plain hard to identify using only photographs. If use of these searches does not produce a clear identification, there are thankfully other, more traditional, ways to get the job done.
Using Botanical Keys To Identify Plants
Botanical keys, also called Artificial or Dichotomous keys, are systematic, step-by-step guides used to identify plant species. These systems present a series of contrasting choices to users based on observable characteristics of plant species. It begins with a set of statements or questions based on the observations made about a certain plant. A choice is then made that best describes the plant's feature. The choice that is selected will guide the user along to the next pair of statements, and the next, and so on and so forth until an identification is made. Common plant characteristics used in botanical keys include leaves, flowers, and stems. This is where having a basic botanical knowledge of the differences between stems, leaf shapes and attachments, and flowers will come in handy. To try out this method of plant identification, use one of the keys linked below. There are countless keys out there, and many are localized; make sure to do an online search for botanical keys for your region to narrow down the search.
Post-Search: Asking for Help and Recording
Identifying an unknown plant can be a daunting task, especially if it needs to be done quickly or if image or botanical key searches are of no help. Additional resources to tap into include local extension programs such as the Master Gardeners or online forums on social media or Reddit. These resources will rely on submitted photos and the expertise of members to identify a plant species with surprising accuracy. Arguably the most important step in plant identification is recording the species and cultivar of identified species in the landscape. Many gardeners choose to record their plant species in a binder or simple list so that they can reference it later on if they need more information about growing conditions or care instructions. As plants are purchased and added to the landscape, their plant tags can be put into the binder or saved in a folder so they won't need to be identified later on.
