Unleashing the Power of Plants for Geolocation

In my most recent geolocation ventures, I have been encountering situations where the most notable markers are plants. In a lot of these cases I have found that identifying the flora can be extremely useful to approximating the location of the images I was trying to geolocate. By identifying the unique characteristics and distribution patterns of various plant species, I have been able to narrow down locations with accuracy.

In this blog I will go over some approaches and tools that have aided me in plant identification and location. Without further ado, let’s get started!

Tools for plant identification

I will focus on the tree on the left as an example.

Manual Identification

The first approach you can take is to manually look for the plant yourself. In the case of trees, Woodland Trust has outlined a few characteristics to look out for, here are the things you can take note of to detect a tree species:

Look at the leaves or needles. Is it a broadleaf (usually deciduous) or is it a conifer (usually with needles or scales)?
Different features will be visible through the seasons. In winter, for broadleaf trees, you'll have to use twigs, leaf buds and bark.
Take notice of the surrounding area such as hedgerows, fields, parks, woodland or close to water. Some species are more likely to grow near water, in scrubland, parkland or in woodland.
Piece the clues together, including the overall shape and size of the tree, bark, leaves or needles, flowers, fruits, leaf buds and twigs. The more features you can see, the more accurate your identification will be.

In the case of Example 1, we can see that the tree has a trunk that has an orange hue, coupled with red fruits and green leaf clusters at the end of the branches.

We can Google these features and see if we can find any matches.

Results from Google images show trees that fit the description. The tab above the images also shows us suggestions for the potential tree that we might be looking for. I clicked on the amplified image labeled ‘Madrone’ as the orange bark hue fits the one in Example 1.

It appears that the Arbutus menziesii a.k.a the Pacific Madrone tree fits the one with Example 1. The color of the trunk is the same, the branches grow in the same pattern, this tree grows red fruits, and the shape, distribution and color of the leaves are the same.

Reverse image search (with a twist)

Alternatively we can also use dedicated applications for plant detection. All you need to do is upload a picture of the plant to one of these applications and they will show you the most likely plant type(s).

After experimenting different plant detection apps, the 2 that I have found most useful include ‘PictureThis’ and ‘PlantNet’.

The image above is taken from the “PictureThis” app, the downside is that this app only shows the top most likely plant. The advantage of this app is that it provides you with an array of information about the plant all in one place. As we can see, the app has also identified the tree in the picture as a Pacific madrone.

Now, let’s have a look at the “PlantNet” app

The “PlantNet” app, also identifies the most likely tree as the Pacific madrone. I have found this app to be more helpful than “PictureThis” when I am trying to identify a tree or flower that doesn’t have that many distinguishing features. The app provides you with different options for potential matches as opposed to “PictureThis” which only shows you the most likely match.

Finding the location

The iNaturalist website is a community based flora and fauna identification system and organism occurrence recording tool. Through this website we can access tons of information about different species of plants and animals, and also access geographical data of where said species have been recorded.

After looking up the Pacific madrone in the iNaturalist website, you can have a range of details about the plant. The plant phenology graph provides us with useful information about the potential dates and seasons in which the tree was pictured.

As it can be seen from the graph, most reports of fruiting Pacific madrone trees occur between the months of September to December, with the highest fruiting being in between October and November. Since the tree in Example 1 contains fruits, this suggests that the picture was taken between the months of September and December.

In the map section, we can also see recorded geographical data of where Pacific madrone trees have been identified. As it can be seen from the map, this tree is predominant in the Pacific Coast of North America. From this, it can be concluded that the tree in Example 1 is located in North America in the Pacific Coast.

Limitations

Using plants for geolocation can be a highly effective tool, especially when considering species with limited geographical ranges. Identifying such plants can significantly narrow down the possible locations of an image, as seen with species like the Pacific madrone, which is native to a specific region in North America. This specificity can provide valuable clues in pinpointing a precise location.

However, it is important to recognize the limitations of this method. Many plants, such as the Cypress spurge, thrive across a wide range of climates and are found on multiple continents. In these cases, the widespread presence of a plant can make it less useful for geolocation purposes, as it does not significantly narrow down the possible areas.

Conclusion

Despite these limitations, the use of plants for geolocation remains a useful and valuable tool, particularly when combined with other methods of geographical identification. By leveraging the unique distribution patterns of certain plant species, one can enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of geolocation efforts.

Thank you for reading :)