Houseplant Identification by Photo

Key Features for Houseplant Identification

Many wonder, “How to identify houseplants if you are not a professional botanist?” The key is to spot specific visual characteristics, like leaf shape, texture of the surface, and color patterns, as they store the most information about your plant.

Leaf Shape

One of the most distinct physical traits that is used for houseplant identification is leaf shape. Various classifications exist for leaf shape, yet the shape itself is determined by its outline (including the apex, margin, and base). However, the most common types are the following:

• Heart-shaped. They are also known as "cordate." A classic heart silhouette of such leaves is formed from a symmetrical notched base where the petiole attaches and creates two rounded, outward-arching lobes. Some common examples are heartleaf philodendron and string of hearts (Ceropegia woodii)
• Oval. Leaves of this type have a broad, egg-like outline, like in the jade plant or dwarf umbrella tree (Schefflera arboricola). They typically have rounded ends, which sets them apart from ovate (pointed) or simply elliptical shapes. 
• Lobed. The distinct characteristic of lobed leaves is rounded or pointed projections with gaps that don’t reach the central midrib. The most popular example is the Swiss cheese plant.
• Long and narrow. Leaves of this type usually have a long, string-like appearance. But needle-like, lance-shaped, and awl-shaped leaves also fall into this category. Some common examples include snake plants, dracaena, and spider plants.

Keep in mind that houseplant identification by leaf shape can be challenging, as there are 70+ types of leaf and leaflet shapes.

Surface Texture

The texture of the leaf surface is crucial for correct indoor plant identification. Most classifications identify 8 surfaces and textures of leaves, but there are numerous combinations of surface forms. Generally, the main ones are:

• Smooth and glossy. Such leaves lack dents, projections, trichomes (tiny, hair-like outgrowths), or rough surface growth, like in Chinese money or rubber plants.
• Waxy.  This foliage of houseplants is usually thick and glossy, as it’s designed to retain moisture. A good example is the jade, kalanchoe, or ZZ plant.
• Fuzzy. Leaves of this type are easy to spot, as they have soft (velvety), fuzzy, or hairy surfaces. Such a surface is a result of numerous tiny hairs (trichomes), like in panda plants, African violets, and strawberry begonias.

You may sometimes see puckered or wrinkled leaves on your indoor plants, which can be a sign of uneven growth, moisture stress, or pests. It’s not a guarantee of a problem, but a sign that your plant requires more attention.

Leaf Pattern

Leaf patterns appear on multi-colored leaves. They help to ID houseplants faster, as they narrow down the species variation.

The most common patterns you can find in houseplants are:

• Variegated. Those are leaves that have more than one color, like green and white, or cream, or pink. An “additional color” often appears in irregular patches or blotches. Some common variegated houseplants are Monstera albo, Marble Queen, and Philodendron pink princess.
• Striped. That’s a form of variegation where a leaf has distinct lines or bands of color, like in variegated striped rush, which has yellow stripes.
• Spotted. That’s also a form of variegation that appears in dots, speckles, or blotches. An example of spotted leaves is in certain species of orchids.

Note that there are also combined patterns, like in Drimiopsis maculata variegata, which is known as “spotted striper.”

3 Tips for a Perfect Houseplant Scan

The quality of the photos you upload or take influences the accuracy of identifying houseplant pictures. The golden rule is that the better the quality and visibility of the plant in the picture, the better the result.

To get the most out of the Botan houseplant scanner, we prepared 3 practical tips:

1. Avoid window backlighting. It distorts the look of the plant, making it appear darker or completely erasing certain parts, therefore making recognition more difficult. Opt for front lighting or use flash to capture the plant as accurately as possible.
2. Clean dusty foliage. Heavy dust buildup can make the work of an indoor plant identifier harder, as the system can misread it. So, it’s better to clean your houseplant for better recognition and plant health as well.
3. Capture the whole structure. When you capture just a part of the plant, you may lose some important information that is stored in other parts of the plant. Even though Botan can identify a houseplant based on a leaf or bloom, it works more accurately when the whole structure is in the frame.

These 3 tips are easy to follow and can significantly reduce the number of identification attempts.

How Botan Redefines Houseplant Identification

If you often wonder, “What kind of houseplant is this?” or are not sure what to do with your plants, you need Botan:

1. It is a convenient application for iOS and Android that actually provides value.
2. It’s easy to use, as you just snap a pic and get 98% accurate results.
3. You don’t need to be near your plants, as Botan supports uploading gallery photos.
4. It’s as fast as in-app indoor plant identification, taking 1-3 seconds.
5. You get unlimited retries if the result is unclear.
6. After you identify your houseplant, you can get science-based care and treatment advice.
7. All your plants are stored in your account, and you can turn on watering and tip reminders.

Note: The Botan houseplant identifier is not limited to just houseplants but can recognize thousands of indoor and outdoor species.