<table> <tbody> <tr> <td> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400"><img class="size-medium wp-image-57065 alignright" src="https://theenterprise.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2021/10/app_1633428267-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />Plant- and tree-identifying apps can help you avoid stepping in some poison ivy by telling you that it’s just a blackberry bramble.</span></h3> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400">Apps like iNaturalist, LeafSnap, PictureThis® and PlantSnap are handy tools that can help people learn about surrounding flora. They can turn a walk in the park into a learning adventure with just a few taps.</span></h3> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400">“It’s a pretty neat technology,” said Chris Mullins, a Virginia Cooperative Extension horticulture specialist. “I think it can be useful and educational.”</span></h3> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400">Horticulturalist Mark Viette said the apps are also helpful for someone planning a garden. “It’s a great way people can learn about plants—if it’s a plant they can grow or not.”</span></h3> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400">Viette said he frequently gets pictures and questions from homeowners inquiring about what’s in their backyards.</span></h3> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400">“Say they purchased a house that had a garden 20 or 30 years ago, and there are certain plants they want to determine what they are. Trees especially—a lot of people don’t really know what trees they have.”</span></h3> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400">The apps can help with planning what and where to plant. Many provide a wealth of resources about climate zones, light, watering, fertilizing requirements and cultural information—in just a few seconds. Viette added they’re also great for identifying which plants are native or invasive and those that are poisonous or “can be troublesome for us in our gardens.”</span></h3> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400">Mullins added that they can even diagnose problems. </span></h3> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400">Often the apps will provide additional information on plant health, pests and diseases afflicting a plant, and potential treatment options. Some allow users to track their plants’ watering and fertilizing schedules.</span></h3> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400">“That’s key too; to have a lot of information,” Mullins said.</span></h3> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400">Though countless plant-identifying options are available in iOS and Android app stores, “they’re probably only as good as the database they’re working off of,” Mullins noted.</span></h3> <h3><span style="font-weight: 400">Many of the applications, like PlantSnap and iNaturalist, use artificial intelligence and visual recognition software to identify plants. After the user snaps a crisp, clear photo, the apps pulls from extensive databases to match the plant or select a few of its closest comparisons—allowing the user to make the final determination. Other apps rely on panelists or community feedback, particularly if a plant is afflicted with a disease or pest.</span></h3> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
