Identify a Flower by Picture

What makes a flower easy to identify

Petal count, petal shape, the flower's center and how the blooms are arranged on the stem are the biggest clues. A daisy-like flower could be a daisy, an aster, a coneflower or a gerbera, but the center, the rows of petals and the leaves usually settle it. A sharp, front-on photo gives our flower identifier the best chance of an exact match.

Garden flowers, wildflowers and bouquets

The tool recognizes garden favorites, roadside wildflowers and florist flowers alike. Bouquets can be tricky because the flowers are cut, sometimes dyed and often mixed, so crop the photo to one bloom at a time. For garden flowers you'll also get growing tips and the conditions they like.

Flowers that are often confused

These pairs trip people up all the time:

• Ranunculus vs roses - ranunculus have thin, papery petals packed in tight layers, and no thorns
• Peonies vs garden roses - peony leaves are deeply lobed, while rose leaves are made of small toothed leaflets
• Asters vs daisies - asters usually grow in clusters of smaller blooms with narrow petals, often purple or blue
• Carnations vs other dianthus - carnations are a type of dianthus with larger, fuller blooms on tall stems
• Crocus vs autumn crocus - the second is an unrelated, poisonous plant that blooms in fall

Flowers that are toxic to pets

Some of the prettiest flowers are dangerous to animals. True lilies and daylilies can cause kidney failure in cats, even from the pollen or the water in the vase. Tulip and daffodil bulbs, foxglove, lily of the valley, oleander and azaleas are toxic too. The results flag known risks, and the ASPCA plant list is a good place to double-check.

Edible flowers: be certain first

Nasturtiums, pansies, violets and squash blossoms are edible, but plenty of flowers aren't. Never eat a flower based on a photo ID alone, and avoid flowers from florists or garden centers, which are often treated with pesticides.