What the Tech? App of the Day: PictureThis
By JAMIE TUCKER Consumer Technology Reporter
I’ve got this thing growing in my flower bed and I don’t know whether I should cut it down, dig it up or feed it.
Ground cover? Or a nasty weed that could take over freshly planted flowers?
Unless you’re a horticulturist or flower expert, this is a common question in the spring and summer. Is it a weed or a flower? Is it something that’ll add color or shape to your flower bed or yard? Or should you pull it up before it chokes out the plants you want?
The app “PictureThis”, for iPhones and Android devices, brings an encyclopedia of knowledge to the smartphone you always have with you.
Using your smartphone’s camera, frame the flower or leaf into a diagram and snap a picture.
Using artificial intelligence, “PictureThis” scans the image, compares it to thousands of similar leaves, and, using your location, generates a most excellent guess at what you’ve got.
The app claims to be able to accurately identify over 1 million plants.
I tried it on that thing growing in my flower bed and PictureThis says it’s a dogwood.
Another unknown thing growing in another bed is an American Black Cherry, otherwise known as a hackberry bush.
If it isn’t recognized by the app, the PictureThis community will chime in to help you. The community is very active.
A premium subscription for Picture This is $29.99 for a year.
