Recommended:
Leafsnap (Free)
iOS and Android – Developed by researchers from Columbia University, the
University of Maryland, and the Smithsonian Institute the app allows users to
identify trees in the United States and Canada by taking a picture of a leaf.
There is another app Leafsnap UK for trees in the United Kingdom. Both apps
have great high resolution pictures that users can browser the leaf, branch,
flowers, and fruits of trees. There is a game that helps users build-up their
knowledge of trees based on leaves, flowers, or fruits. The down side is that
while the database is extensive it does not have every tree in Canada and the
United States as I found out while trying to identify some trees. Also the fact
that it is only trees limits the app’s use.
myGardenAnswers (Free)
iOS and Android. Not one of the strongest apps in the identification game but
you can search the name of a plant or tree and see pictures and descriptions.
If you have a flowering plant you can take a picture and the app will try to
identify it. The app has an option to do a Google image search using the
picture you have taken. If you have a
non-flowering plant or you are not satisfied with any of the other options, the
app offers expert identification services for a fee.
Garden Compass
(Free) iOS and Android. The app has a lot of interesting features for those who
like to garden: articles, tips, care calendar, community, cooking in the
garden, and much more. The identification portion of the app gives users three
expert identifications free each month. Additional identifications are
available for a fee. I tried it and the expert would tell me what they thought
it was and asked for additional pictures or information to try to get an exact
name of the plant. The app has a very friendly and easy to use interface with
high quality graphics. I really like the “How to Use the App” videos to help
users get everything they can out of the app.
Do Not Recommend:
LikeThat Garden
(Free) Android only – This app was promising but in the end extremely
disappointing. It is very simple, you take a picture and the app is supposed to
identify the plant or tree. The camera portion looked distorted and was hard to
use. The graphics were poor. Several times the app could not bring up matches
and when it did many did not produce a correct match. The app crashed multiple
times.
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