Mobile app for Midwest tree identification available for iPhone and iPad
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EmailUse this mobile application to help identify 50 common trees of the Midwest states.
The Fifty Trees of the Midwest app contains over 400 high quality color photos of leaves, buds, bark, twigs , tree form, flowers and fruit designed to help users identify common trees. The photos can be enlarged to show more detail. Recommended by Michigan State University Extension, this app should be useful for students who need to identify trees for schoolwork and other projects; it also will be handy for science teachers, Master Gardeners, foresters, operators of nurseries and others.
Easy-to-navigate sections allow users to find information they need quickly to:
- Study the characteristics of broadleaf and evergreen trees and learn about different families and why some trees grow together.
- Compare photos of tree characteristics and answer a series of questions to identify trees in your yard or in the woods.
- Record information and map the trees as you go.
- Find definitions for common vocabulary at your fingertips.
- Search trees by common, scientific and family names as well as keywords.
Among the app's features is the ability for users to identify a tree by taking their own photos of it and then compare them side-by-side to photos in the app. They then can answer a series of questions to narrow the possibilities of the type of tree until they identify it.
The app is available for iPhone and iPad, costs $3.99 and can be purchased through Purdue Extension's The Education Store. The mobile device version of the publication of the same name is backed by the expertise of Purdue Extension forestry specialists.
"This app is a good companion for tree enthusiasts and professionals, providing information which has been reviewed by Purdue Extension experts," said Lindsey Purcell, a Purdue Extension urban forestry specialist who was an adviser in the selection of information available in the app. "It's easy to use, designed for both young people and adults, with search capabilities that help users find information they need quickly."
