People, especially children, after finding a wild plant in parks, gardens, and other natural environments, are interested in identifying it. They want to know about its name. Is it edible? Is it a safe plant for kids or pets? And …
Wild plant identification is the first step to answering these questions. But how you can identify the wild plants? There are various ways for plant identification from asking the experts to using online tools.
I, as a horticultural adviser whose academic major is plant protection, can help you with this issue as an expert. Keep reading to guide you on how to identify a plant.
Here, first, I will provide you with the names and images of several common wild plants that often get attention. But the world of plants is very large with about 380,000 species.
Don’t worry, in the following, I will show you how to get help from one of the best plant identifiers for wild plant identification. First, let’s find out what is a wild plant.
➡ You can also hear the audio version of this article.
When a plant grows by itself, we call it a “Wild plant”. the meaning of the term “grows by itself” is its seed will grow after falling without any need for planting and special caring. Hence, we sometimes call them “weed” when they grow where that where what we don’t want.
Now, come on to look at several wild plants. I’m sure you have ever spotted them however may not know their names.
Dandelion
Scientific name: Taraxacum officinale
Other Common names: Common Dandelion, Blowball, Lion’s Tooth, Puffball
On top of our list is one of the wild plants that is associated with our childhood and playfulness: Dandelions. Their flying seed is a common childhood activity. It’s also a symbol of resilience and survival in some cultures, do you know why? dandelions can thrive in challenging conditions, so bring hope. I love them.
There are several Dandelion-like plants. so, let’s know more about their appearance.
Appearance:
This plant has deeply lobed and toothed leaves that are arranged in a rosette shape at the base of the plant. the stem is hollow and smooth and you will find a milky sap inside it. I love its bright yellow flowers that are composed of multiple tiny individual florets that form a spherical head.
Daisy
Scientific name: Bellis perennis
Other Common names: Common Daisy, English Daisy, Lawn Daisy, Bruisewort
Have you ever played the “he loves me, he loves me not” game? It’s a love divination and Daisies is a popular wild plant that uses in it. This plant with its white flowers is a symbol of innocence love, purity, and simplicity. In the following, you can find details about its appearance.
Appearance:
This plant has two types of leaves: the basal leaves that are spoon-shaped and the stem leaves that are narrower and toothed.
The stems are slender and leafy and can grow up to 15 centimetres in height. Its eye-catching flowers are white or pinkish with a yellow centre. Indeed, its flower is a composed flower with a lot of tiny florets surrounded by white petals and ray florets.
Buttercup
Scientific name: Ranunculus spp.
Other Common names: Common Buttercup, Meadow Buttercup, Tall Buttercup, Creeping Buttercup
I love this wild plant with its cheerful and sunny flowers. Do you know why this plant is called the Buttercup plant? One of my friends told me if you hold flowers under your chin and the yellow reflection is seen, you like butter. I cannot confirm this folklore but it’s fun.
Appearance:
Leaves: Palmately lobed or divided, typically with three leaflets.
Stem: Herbaceous and often creeping or climbing.
Flowers: Bright yellow, with shiny petals and a cup-shaped appearance.
Clover
Scientific name: Trifolium spp.
Other Common names: Common Clover, Red Clover, White Clover, Dutch Clover
There are two types of clovers: Three-leaf clovers and Four-leaf clovers. People believe the Four-leaf clovers are rare variations and are a symbol of good luck and fortune. In some cultures, the Three-leaf clovers are associated with the Christian concept of the Holy Trinity.
Appearance:
Leaves: Trifoliate three-leafed, with each leaflet oval or heart-shaped.
Stem: Herbaceous and low-growing.
Flowers: Small, clustered in dense, spherical, or cylindrical heads, and typically pink or white.
Dewberry
Scientific name: Rubus spp.
Other Common names: Common Dewberry, European Dewberry, Trailing Blackberry
Very delicious wild plant. some people may confuse it with poisons Ivy hence this wild plant identification is important.
Appearance:
Leaves: Usually palmately compound with three to five leaflets, each with serrated edges.
Stem: Thorny, trailing or climbing stems.
Flowers: White or pinkish, with five petals and a cluster of stamens in the centre.
Stinging Nettle
Scientific name: Urtica dioica
Other Common names: Nettle Weed, Stingers, Nettle Leaf, Common Nettle
In some traditional medicine cultures, this wild plant is used for various purposes with protective or purifying properties. Some people believe Stinging Nettle is associated with healing and vitality. There are at least 7 species that are similar to Stinging Nettle. Hence this wild plant identification is important. Below you can read about its appearance.
Appearance:
Leaves: Opposite, toothed, and covered in stinging hairs.
Stem: Herbaceous, erect, and often reaching heights of one to two meters.
Flowers: Small and greenish, arranged in elongated clusters.
Ivy Plant
Scientific name: Hedera helix
Other Common names: English Ivy, Common Ivy, European Ivy
You often see this wild plant in wedding ceremonies and you may be surprised if I tell you the Ivy plant is the symbol of lasting love and friendship. In folklore, the Ivy plant is associated with strength, eternity, and fidelity.
Appearance:
Leaves: Evergreen, alternate, and palmately lobed with prominent veins.
Stem: Woody, climbing or trailing with aerial rootlets.
Flowers: Small, greenish-yellow, and arranged in umbels, but they are often inconspicuous.
Wild Rose
Scientific name: Rosa spp.
Other Common names: Wild Rose, Dog Rose, Climbing Rose
Beautiful and fragrant wild plant that is a popular and traditional symbol of love and romance. However, its various colours carry additional symbolism.
Appearance:
Leaves: Pinnately compound, with several leaflets arranged along a central midrib.
Stem: Woody, thorny, and generally erect, although some species can be climbing or trailing.
Flowers: Color, shape, and size vary depending on the species and cultivar, but they are typically large, showy, and available in various colours.
Since the world of plants is very large, I think the best way to Identify wild plants is by using a plant identification tool with a comprehensive collection of plant species.
The “House plant Identifier” can be one of the best free online tools with an extensive database of plant species (including more than 14K species with more than 4 million images only in one of its databases). It makes it perfect to identify plants in only 2 scends with high accuracy (2 S).
The “House plant identifier” can identify indoor and outdoor plants including trees, flowers, ornamental, and wild plants. It also detects plant diseases and allows you to find the plant’s problems too. I also identify a brown mushroom in my houseplant soil with this tool. So, I think it will work well to identify mushrooms such as yellow mushroom species.
Working with it is very easy. when you spot a wild plant, you must go to houseplantidentifier.com or simply search for its name (house plant identifier) on Google. After that, as you can see in the below image., you must take an online picture and click on the “Start” button. this tool will analyze the image you take of the wild plant by using its advanced algorithms.
The “House Plant Identifier” allows you to upload a picture from your gallery. Hence when you spot a wild plant but don’t have enough time, you can take its picture and later use this free online tool for your wild plant identification.
What is the best way for wild plant identification? I tried to answer this question in this post by providing the images and a brief overview of the appearance of common wild plants and introducing one of the best plant identification tools; the “House Plant Identifier”.
Have you ever used the plant identifiers to identify a wild plant? do you think they can work well? Tell us about your experiences below this page.
Hi, I’m Elaheh. My Academic major is plant protection, and houseplants are my expertise. As a houseplant lover, my house is full of indoor plants and it is my passion to take care of them. Hence, I’m here to share my knowledge and experience about growing healthy houseplants. I am also a plant protection advisor, so feel free to ask me any questions you may have.