Plant Identification I

​"Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago."
- Warren Buffet

identifying plant life

There are many different ways to identify plant life, from taking photos of plant parts and taking them to a local authority to be identified to tapping into crowd-sourced information to find plant names, to using your own knowledge. With all of these options, it is difficult to know where to start. While the plant pages on this website will assist you somewhat in identifying varietals of species and learning about the care needs of various genera, they will not necessarily be helpful if you need to research a mystery plant. There are a few tried-and-true techniques that can be used to identify plant life, outlined on the page linked below:
​

SHRUBS, VINES AND TREES

This module is probably a bit more similar to what you thought you were getting into when you decided to start taking this class. We will be going over various genera and species of shrubs, trees and vines first, as they form the 'backbone' of your garden. While you are reading through this module, think about whether you've seen any of these plants on walks around the neighborhood, at your friends' or family members' houses, or even in your own yard. Before delving into these extensive lists, find your Sunset Zone by accessing the link below. This will help you to identify which plants will do best in your garden, and understand their climate, water and sun exposure needs.