How scanning works: identify any plant in seconds

Most people who kill a houseplant don't do it out of neglect — they do it out of not knowing. A gift plant with no tag. A cutting from a friend. Something impulse-bought at the grocery store that looked nice under fluorescent light. Leafnote's scan feature exists to close that gap in under six seconds.

What actually happens when you scan

Point your camera at a leaf, tap the shutter, and Leafnote sends the photo to a plant identification model trained on millions of labeled images. It comes back with a common name, a scientific name, and a confidence score. If that confidence dips below 70%, we don't just guess — we show you the top three alternatives so you can confirm visually instead of trusting a black box.

Once a plant is identified, Leafnote pulls its full care profile: indoor or outdoor suitability, sunlight needs, watering frequency, soil type, humidity and temperature range, and — critically — whether it's toxic to cats or dogs. If you've told Leafnote you have pets, that warning is impossible to miss.

Getting a clean read

• Fill the frame with a single leaf or a clear cluster — not the whole room.
• Natural light beats flash; avoid harsh backlighting from a window.
• If the first result looks off, take a second photo from a different angle before accepting a low-confidence match.

From scan to schedule

A scan result isn't the end of the flow — it's the start of one. Tap "Add to My Plants" and Leafnote walks you through a short setup: where the plant lives, how much light that spot actually gets, pot size, and when you last watered it. That handful of answers is enough to generate a full care plan — watering, fertilizing, rotating, pest checks — the moment you finish setup.

Free accounts get five scans a month, which covers most people building out a first shelf of plants. Unlimited scanning is part of Leafnote Premium, alongside photo-based health diagnosis for when a scan reveals more than just a name.