From Trail Walks to Citizen Science: Using Plant ID Apps

As March begins and the spring equinox approaches, it feels like the perfect time to brush up on plant identification and prepare for summer recreation. Admittedly, I am no expert in plant ID, but I do enjoy learning about the plants growing around me while strolling along local trails. My favorite resources to help in this endeavor? My smartphone and a good field guide.

With today’s advances in technology and artificial intelligence, many online platforms and smartphone applications are available to help identify plants and even report observations.

Wondering which app might be right for you? Noelle Orloff, Associate Extension Specialist and Schutter Lab Diagnostician, based her recommendations on research conducted by Dr. Erin Hill and her students at Michigan State University. According to Dr. Hill’s criteria, the app PictureThis was the most accurate in 2023, with PlantStory and PlantNet ranking second and third. There are many other helpful apps available. Try testing different apps on plants you already know in your area to see which one works best for you.

In many cases in Dr. Hill’s evaluation, apps correctly identified the genus of an unknown plant but misidentified the species. While these applications can be incredibly useful, it’s important not to rely solely on them for identification, especially when narrowing down species. You can double-check your plant using reliable resources such as the Montana Field Guide or the USDA Plants Database.

These applications are not only helpful for personal identification efforts; they can also serve as tools for citizen scientists. The term “citizen science” generally refers to public participation in scientific research, allowing volunteers to collect meaningful data. The scope of citizen science projects varies, but many organizations and government agencies rely on volunteer observations to support research and management efforts.

In Montana, one application commonly used by resource professionals to help monitor invasive plants is iNaturalist.

The process is simple: download the app to your mobile phone, take a photo (or several) of the organism, and the app searches an international database for organisms that best match what you photographed. Once an identification is suggested, you can choose to upload the observation to the iNaturalist database. The observation—and its exact or obscured location on a map—can then be reviewed and verified by experts. Once verified, the data becomes “research grade” and is available to researchers, organizations, and interested individuals around the world.

You can also take photos with a traditional camera and upload them later through the iNaturalist website at www.inaturalist.org.

Whether you’re looking to broaden your knowledge of local flora and fauna or contribute to efforts to manage and prevent the spread of invasive species, consider adding plant identification apps to your botanical toolbox.