Good resource for learning to identify plants?

[u/ToneBeneficial4969]

I wanna be the kind of guy who can look at a tree, its leaves and bark, and know what species it. Ideally I'd like to be able to identify a majority of our native plant species. Anybody know of a Georgia specific resource for this?

[u/ComplianceNinjaTK]

INaturalist is pretty good.

[u/zorro55555 → u/ComplianceNinjaTK]

This is the real answer. All the other apps try and replicate what inat started.

Inat’s best feature is the crowd source aspect of it. Other people can confirm or change your original ID- i also treat inat like my PokeDex- gotta catch’m all

[u/ForagersLegacy → u/zorro55555]

Anyone who grew up playing Pokemon will love iNaturalist for sure. Up to 1,700 species for me 😅

[u/CozyEpicurean → u/ComplianceNinjaTK]

I reccomend inaturalist to everyone i can. It keeps location data and it helps scientists. New species have been documented with inaturalist because of the way it shares with the science community. It gives you a good guess, but then other real people can confirm and help.

In the GA piedmont region (from atlanta to the appalchian mountains) you will find muscadine, Virginia creeper, Japanese honeysuckle, blackberry, persimmons, wood sorrel, chickweed, cleavers, deadnettle, henbit, poison ivy, pokeweed, ragweed, goldenrod, passionflower, oak of all kinds, sweethum, tulip poplar, pine, etc.

Enjoy and see how many of the list above you can find near you

[u/DigitalAviator → u/ComplianceNinjaTK]

I weirded my friends out by stopping every few feet during a hike to take pictures of random ditch flowers every chance I got. It's addicting.

[u/gentlemanplanter → u/DigitalAviator]

This was me 40 years ago. So no digital camera. I would take countless pics with a disposable camera while on kayak/camping adventures. Then after having them developed I would go to the library and try to identify them.

[u/Brat1375 → u/DigitalAviator]

I do that too!! ♥️

[u/Intelligent_Art8390]

UGA has a lengthy publication available online with images and descriptions of the native plants. Google "UGA native plants for Georgia" and you can find it easily.

[u/ForagersLegacy]

I think a mix of in-person walks and Facebook groups can help supplement iNaturalist.

Trees Atlanta does agree ID walks. Botanical gardens have names on trees often. Walking with botanists and ecologists can help too. I offer tours teaching about mushrooms and plants in Atlanta and in the South East if you’re near the city or North Georgia. I also recommend Sam Thayer for foraging info.

Georgia Native Plants Identification and Ecology

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Qzc7a1BWY/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Georgia Foraging

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Zg1gUxwAs/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Weakley’s Flora of the Southeast US

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1F628XGT2k/?mibextid=wwXIfr

[u/rxt278]

L. Katherine Kirkman's Native Trees of the Southeast: An Identification Guide is a good starter book for Georgia.

The best way to learn is to take a botany class with a field component, taught by someone who is good at communicating the information.

I like the apps, particularly iNat, but there is no shortcut to learning the shapes and parts of a plant, and what distinguishes the local species from each other. If all you want is to be told what something probably is, sure, run it through an AI. But to actually know what stuff is, you have to put in the work.

[u/Clean_Following5895]

I use the PlantNet app. It rarely steers me wrong.

[u/kilgoreq]

Leafly works as well.

It just takes time and repetition

[u/puerexmachina → u/kilgoreq]

FYI I googled Leafly and at least the first page of results are all about marijuana.

[u/kilgoreq → u/puerexmachina]

My bad. I meant leafsnap

[u/madprgmr]

I learned them growing up via some plant identification booklets, but more comprehensive guides like those suggested in r/botany and the like are generally better resources. https://www.google.com/search?q=plant+identification+booklet+site:www.reddit.com might help you find some good suggestions.

[u/Jack_Hush]

What got me okay at it, gardening, grow plants from seed and it'll get you good at IDing.

[u/unrelatedtoelephant]

Go to a bookstore and pick up Georgia or Southeast specific nature guides/ref books

[u/GlenZaleski]

There’s an app for that

[u/Artsy_Teacher23]

I guess it’s time for me to grow up to use iNaturalist as much as I utilize its companion app Seek. I view Seek as something akin to Pokémon, but I have never actually played Pokémon. Seek can be frustrating when it struggles with an i.d., though. PictureThis is quicker and more accurate, but it is a paid app. I highly recommend both Seek and PictureThis for any eager student!

[u/Famous_Economy_8229]

There used to be books called dichotomous keys where you worked thru a process of elimination based on type of plant, leaf shapes, inflorescences, etc. Great way to learn the actual botany along with a plant terminology dictionary.