Tree Identification
Stop walking past trees like they're furniture. They have names.
intellectualoutdoorFree1 hourdifficulty 2/5
Tree identification turns every walk into a scavenger hunt. You start noticing bark patterns, leaf shapes, and seed pods you've ignored for years. That tree you pass every day? It's a London plane tree and it's been there since before your grandparents were born. Once you start, you can't unsee it.
How to start
- 1Download a free plant ID app like PictureThis or iNaturalist.
- 2Walk your block and photograph 5 different trees β trunk, leaves, and overall shape.
- 3Use the app to identify each one. Write the names down.
- 4Learn to spot the difference between maples and oaks by leaf shape alone.
- 5See how many unique species you can find within a 10-minute walk.
What you'll need
- Plant ID app (iNaturalist, free)EssentialFree
- SmartphoneEssentialFree
- Field guide bookNice to have~$15
- Small notebook for species logNice to have~$4
Where to learn more
Plot twists
Ways to spice this up when the basics get boring.
- Hug every tree you identify. Not ironically.
- Name the trees on your block. Carl the Oak deserves recognition.
- Track the same trees through seasons β photograph them monthly.
- Estimate the age of the oldest tree on your street using trunk circumference.
- Learn three trees by bark alone, so you can ID them in winter.
ADHD notes
The app gives you instant answers β no need to memorize first. Every walk becomes a low-stakes quiz with no wrong answers.
Fun fact
The average city block has 15-25 tree species, but most people can only name two or three of them.
Similar vibes
If this one didn't land, try one of these.
- Leaf PressingTurn sidewalk debris into art that lasts longer than your last hobby.
- Bird WatchingLike PokΓ©mon GO, but the PokΓ©mon are real and judge you silently.
- ForagingThe original Uber Eats, minus the Uber and Eats.
- Neighborhood MappingDraw your block from memory, then walk it and see how wrong you were.