Meeteetse Conservation District
Education
Spring is here and many plants are in bloom and have leafed out, which is a good time to figure out what kind of plant or species they are. All plants have a scientific name. For example, the cottonwoods down by the river are narrowleaf cottonwoods, which has the scientific name Populus angustifolia. There are many different species or types of cottonwoods. For example, lanceleaf cottonwoods have the scientific name Populus acuminata.
Go outside and look at the plants near your house. Are there trees, shrubs, flowers, and weeds? Do you know the name of any of them? If you know the name for example, a dandelion, you can find out its scientific name by looking at a plant book or on the internet. The scientific name for dandelion is: Taraxacum officinale.
Make a notebook and write down the common names of the plants by your house and try to find out the scientific names of the plants too. You can even collect part of the plant or take a photo of the plant and put it in your notebook. For plants you do not know, try to use a field guide and figure out what species the plant is or see if someone you know can help you figure out what it is.
What to learn more about plant identification?
National Arbor Day Foundation Tree Identification
Rocky Mtn Herbarium Wyoming Species List and Bibliography