Leaf Identifier
Photograph a leaf and find out which plant or tree it came from. Free, no account, and every answer shows how confident it is and which leaf features it used.
Add up to 3 photos of the same leaf
Lay it flat and fill the frame. The edge and veins carry most of the information.
The four features that identify a leaf
Leaf identification runs on a small number of characteristics that stay constant within a species. Knowing what to photograph is most of the work.
- Simple or compound
- One continuous blade, or several leaflets sharing a stalk. Check where it meets the stem: a true leaf has a bud there, a leaflet does not. Mistaking an ash leaflet for a whole leaf sends an identification badly wrong.
- Margin
- Smooth (entire), forward-pointing teeth (serrate), outward-pointing teeth (dentate), or deep indentations (lobed). Cherry and beech leaves are close in outline and separate cleanly on margin alone.
- Venation
- One central midrib with side veins branching off is pinnate; several main veins radiating from the base is palmate; parallel veins running the length usually mean a grass, lily, or other monocot.
- Arrangement
- Opposite pairs, alternate singly, or whorled. Maples and ashes are opposite; oaks and birches are alternate. This is constant within a species and settles many lookalikes in one glance.
How to photograph a leaf for identification
Lay the leaf flat against a plain background and capture the entire outline, tip to stalk. A blurred edge or a cropped tip removes exactly the information the identification depends on.
- Include the whole leaf — tip, base, and the stalk where it joined the stem.
- Use a plain background; grass or leaf litter confuses the outline.
- Shoot the underside too if the veins are clearer there.
- Add a photo of leaves still on the stem, so arrangement is visible.
Questions people ask
How do I identify a plant by its leaf?
Lay the leaf flat, photograph the whole outline including the tip and stalk, and upload it. The identifier keys on shape, margin, and vein pattern. A close-up of the edge and a shot of how leaves sit on the stem improve accuracy substantially.
Can you identify a tree from a single leaf?
Often yes, but not always. Maples, oaks, and horse chestnuts have distinctive leaves that identify them alone. Many others — willows, poplars, and most conifers — need bark, buds, or overall shape to separate close relatives, and the tool will say so rather than guess.
What is the difference between a simple and compound leaf?
A simple leaf is one continuous blade on its stalk. A compound leaf is divided into separate leaflets that share a stalk. The test is the bud: a true leaf has a bud where it joins the stem, a leaflet does not. Getting this wrong is the single most common identification error.
What does the leaf margin tell you?
The edge is one of the most reliable identifying features. Entire margins are smooth, serrate margins have forward-pointing teeth, dentate margins have outward-pointing teeth, and lobed margins have deep indentations like an oak. Photograph the edge close enough to see which.
Why does leaf arrangement on the stem matter?
Leaves sit opposite each other in pairs, alternate singly along the stem, or in whorls of three or more. Arrangement is constant within a species and splits many lookalikes instantly, which is why the third photo slot asks for a shot of the stem.
Does a dried or damaged leaf still work?
A dried leaf usually works if the outline and veins are intact, though colour changes reduce confidence. A torn leaf missing its tip or edges is much harder, because those are exactly the diagnostic parts.
Have more than a leaf?
A leaf alone cannot always separate close relatives. If the plant is in bloom, the flower identifier is more decisive; for the whole plant, use the plant identifier.