There’s a million apps for just about anything, and arborists use many different apps to help them through their day. I asked a dozen of my coworkers about their favorite apps to use, and most of them replied they liked to use many different tools for identification. The majority of the identification was for plants, shrubs, or trees, but a few were for bugs and insects. Although we are all very smart at Truetimber, it’s nice to have a little support with these apps to make sure you’re right!
Google Lens
The most widely used app was the Google app, using the Lens function on the toolbar. This is mostly used to identify trees, though you can also use it to identify just about anything, including products.
I included a few photos with the simple steps on how to use the Lens function—just get a leaf of the plant you want to identify within the square and take a photo. Google will then use its AI to suggest what the tree might be, but it can be wrong, so get a good photo.
Apple Photos Visual Lookup
Another quick and easy method to use is the Apple Photos app that’s already on your phone (sorry Android users!). Tap the information button in the middle of the toolbar at the bottom of your screen. Once the information screen pops up from the bottom, you can tap the icon with a leaf image to look up the image. Siri will then make suggestions about what the tree might be.
If there’s no leaf icon, you might have to take another photo of the leaf, as Siri might not recognize it as a plant. I included photos of the steps to help you.
Other Plant Identification Apps
A few other apps that the arborists like for plant identification are:
- Seek
- PictureThis
- LeafSnap
These are all very helpful to use, though the free options are sometimes too limited to be very helpful, so you can opt to upgrade to a premium version for a subscription price.
I really like what the Seek app has, especially since it tracks both flora and fauna. I have not paid for any subscriptions yet and cannot speak to them because I like free stuff.
Other Helpful Apps Arborists Use
Across the company at Truetimber, our many different personnel use different apps to help them with their daily work.
Our technician manager in Plant Health Care uses the Picture Insect app. It tells you whether a bug is toxic and harmful to plants and also gives you basic information about each species.
The safety manager uses an app for tying knots called Knot 3D, which provides animated videos demonstrating how to properly tie knots to a new arborist.
The “Log Daddy” crane truck operator uses an app called Log Weight Pro to figure out the weight of the logs he has to pick up at job sites.
Apps Are Helpful—But They Aren’t Perfect
These different apps are great to help identify a tree or insect, though they can get it wrong. If you have an elevated concern about one of the harmful insects or a problematic invasive tree species, you can always consult your friendly arborist for a little more information about ways to help you.
Most of the time, information is free—but the premium services can have an associated cost!
Need Help Identifying a Tree?
If you’re concerned about a tree on your property in Richmond, Yorktown, Williamsburg, or the surrounding areas, Truetimber Arborists is happy to help. Whether it’s identifying a tree, diagnosing an insect problem, or recommending the next steps for your landscape, our team is here to provide trusted, professional guidance.
Contact our Richmond office at 804-218-8733 or our Yorktown office at 757-873-8525 to schedule a consultation.
