Leafsnap app review: handy visual recognition tool for identifying tree species

Introduction

Leafsnap app is an educational and research tool that uses visual recognition technology to identify tree species. This leaf snap app was jointly developed by Columbia University, Maryland University, and the Smithsonian Institution.

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It can be used as a botanical field guide by students, nature hobbyist, leaf collectors, and professional botanists. You can install this leafnsap app for iPhone on the iPad and iPod as well. Keep reading our Leafsnap iPhone app review for more details.

The Leafsnap app is no longer in iTunes but you can find an alternative gardening app on our iPhone and iPad list. You can also find all the best iPhone apps on our applists. We have also reviewed these gardening apps or check out our iPhone app reviews:-

GardenPlan pro, MyGarden app , Gardentags app, Vegetable Tree app, Kitchen Garden Magazine, Garden USA app, Landscapers Companion app

Identify Different Tree Species in a Snap

If you need a field guide that can quickly identify different tree species based on snapshots of their leaves, then Leafsnap is the perfect app for you. This app is available as a free download in the App Store. Although still in early development, it offers advanced features that make tree identification much easier.

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It currently contains hundreds of tree species in its database with more than 2,000 high resolution photos that can be viewed offline. You can quickly search photos of leaves, fruits, bark, and flowers from the Browse menu of the app.

The app’s database is arranged alphabetically but you can use the built-in search tool to look for specific trees. The app will then give you a list of related photos for quick cross referencing.

But what makes Leafsnap a great field guide is its visual recognition tool. With the SnapIt feature, the app allows you take a photo of any leaf and it will automatically search a matching image from the database. An exact match or a related match will then be shown on screen so you can tag the image for proper labeling.

You can then save the labeled images in your device as part of your own collection of leaves and trees. 

Best Features of Leafsnap

Leafsnap offers a comprehensive database that contains 184 tree species endemic in the northeastern region of North America. It also offers more than 2,500 photos of tree flowers, seeds, bark, and leaves.  The app downloads the tree database to your iOS device so you can have access to the images even without Internet connection.

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One of the best features of the app is the SnapIt tool. This tool integrates with your device camera to allow you to take snapshots of leaves directly from within the app. You can then search a matching tree species based on the image you captured.

The app uses virtual recognition technology to cross-match leaf images with tree species. While it offers an automatic search feature, the app also allows you to save snapshots in your camera roll. You can then do a tree search at a later time.

And lastly, Leafsnap offers built-in map for geo-tagging. You can drop pins on the map to indicate the places where you found your leaf collections.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Easy to use with simple interface
• Offers 180 tree species
• More than 2,500 high resolution photos
• Offers SnapIt tool for leaf identification
• Uses visual recognition technology
• With built-in map for geo-tagging
• Offers quick search tool

Cons

• No negative review

Final Thoughts

Leafsnap is a free educational app specifically designed for tree identification. It uses visual recognition technology to match leaves with tree species. This is a must-have app for students and nature lovers.