Hey everyone! I'm new to the world of succulents and need some help. As part of my internship in South Africa, my research coordinator has tasked me with studying the longevity of fingerprints on succulents to tackle poaching. However, I'm having trouble identifying the 51 individual plants in our garden. I know we have three genera: Haworthia, Conophytum, and Gibbaeum, but the PlantNet app I tried to use isn't aligning with what I've been told. I'm particularly stuck on identifying plants between the Conophytum violaciflorum and the Haworthia section, especially since some of them look dead or are struggling. I did sort them, but I mistakenly put the trickiest ones at the top—so I'd appreciate it if you could help with those at the bottom! Here's my link to the observations: [Observations · iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&user_id=rik12345&verifiable=any). Thanks a ton for any advice!
3 Answers
I definitely use plant apps and check seller websites too, but remember they’re not always accurate. It would be wise to verify your IDs against multiple sources. Also, consider reaching out to a cactus and succulent society or a local master gardener for expert validation. For Haworthia, the r/haworthia subreddit and haworthia.org are fantastic resources!
I usually cross-reference plant ID apps with reputable garden websites. For instance, I check out Mountain Crest Gardens because they specialize in succulents. It might not be the best method, but it's worked for me!
Thanks you! I'll give that a try.
I recommend the PictureThis app for identifying succulents. It's quite accurate for common plants, but it can be hit or miss with some less common ones. Just keep that in mind!
Okay great! Thanks for the suggestion.
Thanks for the advice! I'll see what I can do.