Imagine walking down a shady, woodland path. Suddenly, a field of color emerges ahead of you: white flowers, red flowers, small shrubs and bushes, berries, and birds. The blooms entrance you, but you can’t name a single one. Are those red flowers roses or pansies? Are those bushes rhododendrons or yews? The beautiful field could be far more interesting if you understood flowering plant identification.

Due to the specialization of science, a myth persists that only professional botanists can identify plants. The image of a bearded man collecting rare orchids in the rainforest is completely false- most amateur botanists work full-time jobs and take care of families. Learning how to identify plants is just as easy as learning a new card game: you just need to understand some basic guidelines.

But why should you want to identify plants? If you enjoy hiking or any outdoor activity, it will make your time outside much richer. In addition, the ability to identify plants can help you understand your local environment. If your house is bordered by Canada Mayflower and Solomon’s Seal, for example, you live in a northeastern beech-maple forest. If you are interested in green living, understanding your local ecosystem is critical. Finally, flowering plant identification is impressive. Imagine walking with a close friend and casually observing that the flowers by the roadside are white asters. Your friend will doubtlessly be stunned by your botany prowess.

So, how can you get started? Well, if you follow a few basic guidelines, you will be identifying plants quickly and easily.

1. Find a good field guide. The most famous guide is Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, which uses an easy, question based system. However, you will need to know some basic plant anatomy to successfully use a guide like Newcomb’s. The Peterson field guide to wildflowers is another solid choice, and contains full-color plates. Either guide should work well.

2. Go on a nature walk. Many local parks host visiting naturalists occasionally. If there are any events in your area, be sure to attend; nothing teaches better than an expert in action.

3. Practice regularly. Spend fifteen minutes or more each week out in the woods. The more plants you identify, the better you will be. As a bonus, spending time in the outdoors will clear your head and ease stress.

4. Finally, be precise. Don’t just decide that the yellow flower looks roughly similar to the one in the field guide; be certain you have it right. Of course, don’t become too obsessed with perfect identification. Oftentimes, just getting the correct genus of a flower is enough.

With those tips in mind and a field guide in your hand, you can master the art of flowering plant identification. Just be sure that you enjoy it; if you find that your weekly walks feel like a chore, take up another hobby. But, if you love the outdoors and want to have a richer experience, plant ID may be the ticket.