Ever found yourself admiring a beautiful plant on a walk and wondering what it is? You’re not alone. Learning how to identify plants is not only fun but also deepens your connection with nature. Here’s a simple, beginner-friendly guide to help you start identifying plants like a pro.
Identifying plants is like unlocking a secret language of nature. Once you start, you’ll notice your surroundings in a whole new way — whether it’s a roadside weed or a rare woodland wildflower. All it takes is curiosity and a little observation.
Whether you’re a gardening enthusiast, a hiker, or just curious about the plants around you, plant identification apps make it easy to learn about flora with just a snap. Here are the 10 plant identification apps for Android and iOS, each offering unique features to help you discover nature’s wonders.
PictureThis – Plant Identifier
-
Instant identification with 98% accuracy.
-
Extensive plant database with over 10,000 species.
-
Care tips & reminders for your plants.
-
Community feature to ask experts for help.
Drawback: Free version has limited scans; premium unlocks full features.
PlantNet – Plant Identification
-
Open-source & free (no paid scans).
-
Collaborative project—users contribute to the database.
-
Covers wild plants, trees, and crops.
-
No ads in the basic version.
Drawback: Less user-friendly than some competitors.
iNaturalist (by National Geographic & California Academy of Sciences)
-
Identifies plants AND animals.
-
Community-driven—connects with scientists.
-
Great for citizen science projects.
-
Completely free with no paywalls.
Drawback: Identification may take longer than dedicated plant apps.
Seek by iNaturalist
-
Kid-friendly & educational.
-
No registration required.
-
Real-time AR identification.
-
Earn badges for discovering species.
Drawback: Smaller database than iNaturalist’s main app.
PlantSnap – Identify Plants
-
Over 600,000 plants in database.
-
Advanced AI recognition.
-
Global mapping feature to see nearby plants.
-
Supports 37 languages.
Drawback: Free version is very limited; premium is pricey.
LeafSnap – Plant Identification
-
Specializes in tree identification.
-
High-quality visual recognition.
-
Developed by Columbia University & Smithsonian.
-
Free to use.
Drawback: Mostly focused on North American trees.
Flora Incognita – Automated Plant Identification
-
No ads or premium upsells.
-
Detailed plant profiles with ecology info.
-
Supports offline identification.
-
Great for European wild plants.
Drawback: Limited to certain regions.
Final Thoughts
Each of these apps has unique strengths—whether you want quick scans (PictureThis), scientific contributions (iNaturalist), or a free experience (PlantNet). Try a few and see which one fits your plant-identifying needs best!