Using the identifier
How does plant identification work?
Upload a clear photograph and select Identify plant. SproutCompass compares visible features with botanical records and returns several possible matches ranked by visual similarity.
How accurate are the results?
Results are suggestions, not guarantees. Similar species, immature plants, hybrids, damaged leaves, and incomplete photographs can lead to different answers. Compare several plant features and use an authoritative local source before making an important decision.
How can I get a better match?
Use a sharp, well-lit image with one plant filling most of the frame. Include a distinctive flower, fruit, leaf, stem, or growth habit. Avoid heavy shadows, filters, screenshots, people, labels, and cluttered backgrounds.
Which images are supported?
Upload a JPEG or PNG image no larger than 6 MB. There is no minimum pixel requirement. Most clear, well-lit phone photos work well when the plant fills most of the frame.
Why did the same plant receive different results?
Framing, lighting, focus, visible plant parts, and background can change the features detected in each image. Confidence measures visual similarity; it does not prove the plant’s identity.
Limits, history, and privacy
What is the free-use limit?
Each visitor may make up to four identifications per day. Daily allowances reset at 00:00 UTC. To keep the free service within its API allowance, the site also accepts up to 450 identification requests per UTC calendar month. If that shared monthly capacity is reached, identification resumes automatically at the start of the next UTC month.
What does History store?
History keeps the most recent plant names, scientific names, and identification times in your browser on this device. It is not an online account and does not synchronise between devices.
Are uploaded images kept?
Uploaded originals are processed temporarily for identification and are not kept by SproutCompass. Technical providers may process the image as necessary to return the result; see the Privacy Policy for details.
Safety and troubleshooting
Can I use a result to decide whether a plant is edible or safe?
No. Never eat, administer, or use a plant medicinally based only on an image result. For suspected human or animal exposure, contact an appropriate medical, veterinary, or poison-control professional.
What if identification does not work?
Confirm the file is a JPEG or PNG under 6 MB, check your internet connection, refresh the page, and try a clearer image. If the problem continues, visit Technical support.