With a little practice, many of the wildflowers are simple to identify, and learning their names can reveal a wealth of information about the plants themselves. Continue reading if you want to learn the difference between cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) and cowslips (Primula veris). We’re going to go over the best starting points on how to identify wildflowers.
How to Identify Wildflowers?
Get outside
The first step is to observe the wildflowers in your immediate area. Pay attention to any you already know. Perhaps you are familiar with dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) from ‘telling the time’ by blowing seeds from their seed heads or daisies (Bellis perennis) by making daisy chains?
This could be a great place to start if you’ve grown a patch of wildflower seeds or have wild areas in your garden. I would also advise going for a stroll in any nearby parks, nature preserves, or woodlands.
Old churchyards and roadside verges are some of the best locations to look for wildflowers. Given that they are mowed infrequently and hardly ever disturbed, these areas can be excellent for grassland wildflowers. Wildflowers are everywhere once you start looking.
Get Equipped
Take the time to research the best kind of wildflower guide for you because it will be crucial to your education.
If at all possible, test it out beforehand by borrowing a wildflower guide from a friend or the library. Try to pick the most recent edition when you’re ready to buy because plant names and distributions change over time.
We enjoy David Streeter’s The Collins Wild Flower Guide and Francis Rose’s The Wild Flower Key because we find working with wildflower illustrations to be the simplest. If you prefer to work with photographs, Simon Harrap’s Harrap’s Wild Flowers is a good choice because it also comes with helpful maps that show where each plant can be found.
The Field Studies Council creates waterproof fold-out maps specific to places like grasslands or wooded areas. Although they are a sturdy and practical option, they won’t cover as many plants as a wildflower book.
There are many options if you prefer to use a website or an app. Again, it’s best to try a few different ones before settling on the one you like best.
A popular option is the iNaturalist app, which can not only assist you in identifying plants but also allows you to record and share your discoveries with a global community of scientists and nature lovers.
If you have a camera, taking a picture of difficult-to-understand plants can be very helpful. The plant’s leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds are all crucial for identification, so make sure to get a clear photo of the entire plant as well.
Examining the minute details that distinguish similar types of wildflowers with a 10x hand lens is also helpful.
Methods to Identify Wildflowers Using Identification Tools
You can also identify the wildflowers using Identification Tools, let’s know How to identify wildflowers:
Use a wildflower identification book to find the species while in nature: Bring a small trail book with you when you go exploring the great outdoors to make it easier to recognize flowers as you come across them. This is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and get outdoorsy. Numerous wildflower books are organized by geographic area, color, and leaf type. Usually, they have colored pictures or illustrations to aid you in identifying the flowers you find. Alternatively, you could take a photo of the flower and then use a book once you get home.
Search online for a plant database to identify the flower from home: You can easily use online references in addition to reference books. Look through your options after searching for “wildflower identification websites.” On some websites, you can select the color, petal count, and location to help you make a more focused selection. If you have used a reference book and are still unsure of the flower you found, this is a great option.
Use an app to identify various flowers on the go: To find an app to use, conduct a search in your app store. For most smartphone devices, there are both free and paid versions available. As some of the apps have regional plant databases, make sure the app you choose covers the area where you live. Then take a photo, upload it to the app, and learn the type of flower right away.
Do a reverse-image search to instantly and easily identify the flower: Use your smartphone to take a reference photo if you are in the woods without any reference books on you. In your photo, try to include the plant’s stems, leaves, and petals. When you arrive at a search engine, drop your image there and choose “Search for this image.” The type of wildflower will appear in your search results if the image is recognized. Either a computer or a smartphone can be used for this.
Conclusion
In this blog, we have shared some useful tips and methods on how to identify wildflowers, we have described each tip and method in detail to avoid confusion.