Identify shrub by leaf
Leaf shape
- Shapes that aren’t symmetrical (no halves) are called simple leaves, and ones that are symmetrical are called compound leaves. To figure out the shape of your leaf, pick the one closest to it in the photo below.
A note on compound leaves: When you’re looking at a plant with this type of leaf, “leaflet” means one little piece of the whole leaf, and “pinnate” means each leaf is made up of a stem with a bunch of leaflets coming off either side. Think of pinnate as like feathers on a bird’s wing or segments on a caterpillar’s body—you might notice that the word “feather” and “pinnate” actually have similar roots (“pin” in Latin). The opposite is palmate, where instead of being on either side like wings or segments, they’re all attached to one point at the end of the stem like fingers coming off your palm.
Increments on the stem
If you notice that the stem has small increments on it, there’s a good chance your shrub is whorled. This means branches or leaves are arranged around the stem in a circle. For example, most bush cherries have whorling branches and leaves, which is often a distinguishing feature of this plant.
Color
- Leaf Color*: Take note of the leaf color. Is it green, red, or yellow? Or is it some variation of those colors? How are the colors distributed so far as plants go; in other words, are there any patterns to which plant has which color leaves?
Region
When identifying a shrub by its leaf, you should also consider where it was found. Shrubs are commonly divided into six groups based on their geographic location:
- Eastern North America (east of the Rocky Mountains)
- Western North America (west of the Rocky Mountains)
- Southwestern North America (southwestern United States and northern Mexico)
- South American West Coast (northern and central Chile)
- Tropical Africa and Madagascar
- Tropical Asia and Australasia
Leaf shape, increments on the stem, color, and region can help identify a shrub.
Leaf shape, increments on the stem, color, and region can help identify a shrub.
- Leaf shape: Use this key to identify the shape of your leaf. After you’ve identified the leaf’s basic shape (e.g., oval), use a ruler to take its length and width measurements in centimeters (cm). The rounded or pointed nature of the tip and base should also be noted here, along with any leaves present on the stem.
- Increments on stem: Look at the increments where leaves have fallen off. Note any buds that may be present on these nodes. Also note any stipules (leaf-like structures) at these nodes, as well as their color and size.
- Color: Compare the colors of your shrub’s twigs and bark with those pictured in this document’s “Shrub bark color” section – they may give you clues about what type of shrub it is!
- Region: You can sometimes identify a type of plant by referencing where it was found geographically.