Online Plant Databases (Canada & United States)

A helpful directory of online plant databases, primarily in the United States and Canada, for information on plant names, growing zones, research, and images to help ID plants.

Also see Seed Company Listings for the United States and Canada to find a seller near you.

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Plant Databases

North America

• All Plants | National Gardening Association Plants Database (US)
  Search by characteristics, genus, and images
• All Plants | USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (US)
  Includes common & scientific names, photos, growing zones
• Butterflies & Moths of North America
• Identify Plants | Garden.org
  Enter characteristics to identify your plant
• Invasive Species | invasivespeciesinfo.gov  (US)
  Includes land and aquatic plants
• Native Plants | North American Native Plant Society Database (North America)
  Search by type, habitat, light, soil conditions
• Native Plants Database| Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (North America)
• Natural History Museum Data Portal | Look up a plant to see which Lepidoptera (butterflies & moths) rely on them.
• New England | Go Botany | Identify plants
• Trees | What tree is it? | (Based in Ohio, US)
  Search by leaf, fruit, name
• Vascan | Database of Vascular Plants of Canada (VASCAN)
• Weeds | New Jersey Weed Gallery and Is This Plant a Weed?

Also

• Insects, Spiders, & More | BugGuide.net 
• Keystone Plants by Ecoregion | The National Wildlife Federation (North America)

Canada

• Invasive Species | invadingspecies.com (Ontario, Canada)
  Includes terrestrial and aquatic plants, fish, forest pests, invertebrates, and pathogens
• Native Plants | Can-plant.ca (Canada)
  Browse by region, name, characteristics, and plant type or species
• Native Plant Encyclopedia | Canadian Wildlife Federation
• Pollinator-Friendly Native Plants | Pollinatorpartnership.ca (Canada)
• Plant Selector For Birds By Garden Zone | Birds Canada
• Ontario CropIPM | broadleaf, grass, and perennial weed gallery
• Identify Seeds | Canada food inspection database with images
• BC Invasive Species | Includes plants, animals, fish, insects, and fungi

United Kingdom

• All Plants | UK – Royal Horticultural Society (UK)
  Search by sun, soil, characteristics, plant type, or season

World Plants Database

• All Plants | canadaplants. ca (Canada and world) – link no longer active
  Woody, bulbs, annuals, perennials, tropicals, wildflowers, and weeds

Seed Companies

• Canadian Seed Company Listings | Online sellers
• United States Seed Company Listings | Online sellers

Reference Book

Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers | Amazon

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Plants by Species / Type

• Garden.org Online Plant Databases – all plant types
  Includes listings of online plant databases for specific states, regions, and plant species.

Here are some popular ones:

• Clematis | Identify your clematis – good for figuring out which clematis you have
  Also see National Gardening Association Clematis Database
• Dahlias
• Daylillies
• Hostas
• Hydrangeas
• Irises
• Lilies
• Ornamental Grasses
• Peonies
• Roses
• Tomatoes | Rutgers Database
• Salvias
• Sempervivium
• Wildflowers – Regional Listings

Plant Research & Evaluations

• Search | Google Scholar for research papers
• Search | University Extension research papers | Check that research is peer-reviewed.
• Reference | How to properly write plant names | PDF file
• The Global Seed Vault in Norway | Learn how it protects seed species from around the world

Related: How to Understand Plant Names | Botanical Latin

Wildlife

• Inaturalist | Observe, share, discuss findings around the world.
• Natural History Museum | Database of the World’s Lepidopteran Hostplants
  Look up a plant and find out which butterflies and moths use it as a host plant.
• Butterflies & Moths of North America | Collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛