Plant Identification

Learn to identify plants

15 articles•Last updated: July 29, 2026

How to Identify Poison Ivy, Poison Oak & Sumac

Learn to identify poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac by their leaves, growth habit, and habitat—plus the urushiol science behind why all three cause the same rash.

DDr. Sarah Green

Plant Identification

Best Field Guides for Edible Wild Plants & Foraging

The best edible wild plant field guides for foraging, compared by region, photo quality, and safety detail—plus the one book that teaches you to verify any plant yourself.

HHelen Cho

Plant Identification

Best Weed Identification Books & Guides for Homeowners

The best weed identification books for homeowners, compared by region, photo clarity, and seedling detail—so you can name the weed before you decide how to deal with it.

HHelen Cho

Plant Identification

Wildflower Identification by Color: Name Any Flower

Use flower color as your starting point for wildflower identification, then confirm with petal count, symmetry, leaf arrangement, and bloom season to name any flower you find.

DDr. Sarah Green

Plant Identification

Tree Bark Identification: A Visual Guide to 20 Trees

Tree bark identification lets you name trees year-round. Learn the five bark textures, read lenticels and ridges, and match 20 common North American species.

DDerek Palmer

Plant Identification

How to Identify Houseplants: A Visual Guide

Learn how to identify houseplants by leaf shape, texture, and growth habit. A beginner-friendly visual guide to pothos, monstera, snake plants, and more.

JJessica Chen

Plant Identification

Winter Tree Identification: Bark, Buds & Branching

Winter tree identification is easier than you think. Use bark, buds, and branching patterns to name any leafless tree with confidence—no leaves required.

DDerek Palmer

Plant Identification

Common Lawn Weeds Identification Guide

A common lawn weeds identification guide for homeowners. Learn to tell broadleaf weeds, grassy weeds, and sedges apart—and what each one reveals about your soil.

DDr. Sarah Green

Plant Identification

Flower Identification Guide: Petals, Shape & Color Explained

A botanist's flower identification guide using petal count, symmetry, arrangement, and color to narrow any flower down to family and species without guessing.

DDr. Sarah Green

Plant Identification

Pothos Varieties: 15 Types and How to Identify Them

Discover 15 stunning pothos varieties from classic Golden to rare Baltic Blue. Learn identification tips, care differences, and where to find each type.

JJessica Chen

Plant Identification

How to Identify Any Plant: A Beginner's Guide to Leaves, Flowers, and Stems

Plant identification starts with three observations: leaf arrangement, leaf shape, and flower structure. Master these three features and you can narrow any plant to its family in minutes.

DDr. Sarah Green

Plant Identification

How to Identify Trees by Their Leaves: Shapes, Margins, and Venation Explained

Tree identification starts with the leaf. Shape, margin, arrangement, and venation narrow thousands of species to a handful. This visual guide covers the 8 key leaf features that identify any North American tree.

DDr. Sarah Green

Plant Identification

How to Use a Dichotomous Key: Step-by-Step Guide to Keying Out Any Plant

A dichotomous key is a series of two-choice questions that narrows thousands of species to one. Here is how to read one, use one on a real plant, and troubleshoot when you get stuck — no botany degree required.

DDr. Sarah Green

Plant Identification

How to Identify Conifers: Pines, Spruces, and Firs Simplified

Pine, spruce, or fir? Three tests settle it: needle attachment, needle cross-section, and cone orientation. Pines have bundled needles, spruces have square rollable needles, and firs have flat soft needles with upright cones.

DDr. Sarah Green

Plant Identification

Alternate vs Opposite Leaf Arrangement: The MADCapHorse Mnemonic Explained

Most trees have alternate leaves. The short list of opposite-leaved trees is remembered with one mnemonic: MADCapHorse — Maples, Ash, Dogwoods, Caprifoliaceae, and Horsechestnuts. Here is how to check arrangement and why it matters.

DDr. Sarah Green