How to Identify Round-Leaf Indoor Plants
Indoor plants are a great way to add beauty and elegance to your home. Not only are they useful for decorating, indoor plants also help purify the air by removing certain toxic chemicals.
With thousands of different species of indoor plants, identification may seem like a daunting task. The process of identification is best accomplished by narrowing down a list of possible choices based on plant characteristics. Start with the shape of the leaf to help you make a positive identification.
Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Horticultural encyclopedia of indoor plants or online database
- Plant
- Pen
- Paper
Instructions
-
-
1
Analyze the leaf of the plant. You already know that the general shape is round and this will be helpful for your analysis. However, there are a number of other characteristics that you will want to take note of as well. Is the leaf leathery or shiny? Is it thin or thick? Are the leaves convex or concave? Write down all the things you notice about the leaf.
-
2
Look at the stems of the plant. Write down all you notice about them. Are the stems long or short? How thick are the stems? Be meticulous about attributes. For example, are the stems smooth and glossy or do they have small hairs on them? The more attributes you have, the more confident you can be to make the right identification.
-
-
3
Write down any other characteristics you notice about the plant. Does the plant have thorns? Does it flower? If so, does it have many flowers or only one main flower? What color is the flower and how large is it? Anything that you see can be helpful when you go to identify the plant.
-
4
Take your notes and sit down with a horticultural encyclopedia of indoor plants or an online database. If you are using a horticultural encyclopedia, you will want to start in the back. Almost all horticultural encyclopedias will have indexes that allow you to narrow down your search using specific characteristics. Write down any possible choices and cross check them in the text of the encyclopedia. If you are using an online database, look for an advanced search or index option. Certain databases even feature a systematic questioning process to help you identify your particular plant.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If you have the option, use an illustrated horticultural encyclopedia. If you do not find what you are looking for in it, try using another encyclopedia that may seem relevant, such as an encyclopedia on tropical plants or palms.
Many garden centers have encyclopedias they use to identify plants and most will let you use them without charge.
Some indoor plants can cause skin irritations so be careful when handling the plant, gloves should be used to protect your skin.
