How to use (and not use) plant identification phone apps

Q: How reliable are plant identification apps?

I’ve tested several plant identification apps and have found them surprisingly, but not completely, accurate. You simply snap a photo of the plant in question, and the app can provide an identification. Some apps can (supposedly) diagnose diseases and other plant problems and offer solutions as well.

Plant identification depends on several factors. First, if you want to identify a plant in the wild, location is an essential piece of information, since some plants can look alike but grow in very different environments.

I’ve tried using an app to identify a tree I saw on a walk near my home, and the app identified it as a tree that only grows on the East Coast. (To be fair, the app didn’t ask for my location, but I assumed that it already had that information.)

Photos should show the leaf vein pattern and shape. Some leaves have veins that branch along a central vein, radiate from the base of the leaf, run parallel along the length of the leaf, or have some other pattern. Leaf shape (palmate, lanceolate, ovate, etc.) and leaf margin (lobate, serrate, spiny, etc.) are other characteristics used for plant identification. If you are attempting to identify a tree, a photo of the overall shape and size of the tree, as well as a detailed photo of its bark, is very useful. If seeds or fruit are present, these can also be used for identification.

Most plant apps will not work without internet access, so you may want to take photos of the above-mentioned details and use Google when you return to civilization. Never rely on an app to determine whether an unknown plant is edible (or toxic)!The internet is full of information, but much of it is wrong. Some programs will indiscriminately use this information and give an answer based on consensus. Unfortunately, for many topics, there is more bad information than good out there, and the consensus may be completely wrong.

I have seen this frequently when researching food preservation methods. So, how do you know who or what to trust? Look for sources associated with government or university websites (ending in .gov or .edu). These websites often link to other reputable sources.

The University of California Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR), has an online plant identification tool that covers many plants found in California (native and non-native). If you live outside of California, your state’s department of agriculture website should be able to connect you with a similar resource for your region.

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Los Angeles County

mglosangeleshelpline@ucdavis.edu; 626-586-1988; http://celosangeles.ucanr.edu/UC_Master_Gardener_Program/

Orange County

ucceocmghotline@ucanr.edu; http://mgorange.ucanr.edu/

Riverside County

anrmgriverside@ucanr.edu; 951-955-0170; https://ucanr.edu/sites/RiversideMG/

San Bernardino County

mgsanbern@ucanr.edu; 909-387-2182; http://mgsb.ucanr.edu