Cultivated plants very often have (wild) pest insects on them. And when observing a plant-feeding insect, it’s always best practice to also make an observation of the host, whether it’s cultivated or wild. So there is a lot of value in those observations, whether they count towards some artificial goal or not. They count where it counts – which is maximizing the scientific value of iNaturalist observations.
7 Likes
(1) Of possible interest in this regard, a recent study in Germany looked at urban plant biodiversity in the open soil around urban trees – “Citizen stewardship of street tree beds promotes urban biodiversity,” Kelly Baldwin Heid et al., Journal of Urban Ecology, Volume 12, Issue 1, 2026, juag003, https://doi.org/10.1093/jue/juag003 While many of the plants they found were cultivated, many would qualify as “wild” under iNat guidelines. Interestingly, the authors found “a statistically significant positive correlation (P < .001) between species richness of native and species richness of non-native plants, suggesting that stewardship had a positive effect on the spontaneously establishing species” – suggesting that it is well worth examining human-tended street tree beds for “wild” plants.
(2) Another study found 39 bryophyte spp. in the urban environment of Vancouver, BC, Canada (along with 39 spp. of macrolichen). The authors state: “We found 39 macrolichen, 32 moss, and seven liverwort species on Vancouver street trees, establishing them as rich microenvironments influenced by a network of interacting factors previously unaccounted for.” Admittedly, bryophytes are not always easy to ID to species, but it looks like this taxon is worth seeking out in urban environments. (I’m actually planning to devote a day of CNC in my area working on bryophytes.)
(3) From my own experience – Last June I had to attend a week-long conference in downtown Baltimore, USA. I was able to escape every once in a while and look for plants in that highly urbanized environment. Street tree beds did indeed yield “wild” spp. suitable for iNat, perhaps because they are watered and fertilized. (I also went into a couple of vacant lots which were interesting, until I ran into a situation which didn’t feel safe, after which I gave up on vacant lots.)
Hope this helps.
9 Likes
As someone who lives in “the woods” but has family in Manhattan and downtown Philadelphia, I always look forward to visiting the city to iNat all sorts of bizarre wild plants. It seems like every weed growing out of a sidewalk in the city is my “lifer” of some strange exotic plant. Here are over 100 wild plant species I’ve recorded just in the Rittenhouse area of Philly, many of which I’ve never seen out in the woods where I live. No matter how urban the environment, there are many plants thriving there that humans aren’t cultivating. “Life, uhhh, finds a way.”
11 Likes
Thanks for pointing this. This is the most important point.
If the tree is planted in the garden, the saplings grown inside the garden are still “cultivated”, but saplings that are seen growing/escaped outside the garden area are “wild”.
The logic seems correct that inside the garden the new saplings got some human assistance in its survival such as garden water & care!
3 Likes
Absolutely agreed that messaging is vital, and that some grace ought to be extended to the less experienced! I count my 2025 self among the inexperienced. I had used Seek for a few years in my garden, and I had branched into iNat on a couple of occasions when Seek didn’t have answers for me. And then came CNC ’25 and I excitedly went over to the local park to capture life. Looking back on my observations, I did mostly capture weeds and birds, but I also included some trees–and remember thinking that surely they were wild; my 2026 self is much more aware, though not infallible.
5 Likes
Agree - its indeed motivation, but then its not city area, so we call it CNC but collect data from outside the city area.
As per iNat guidelines, trees grown from seedlings inside the garden are “cultivated”, the moment they escape outside the garden and grow on their own, they are “wild”.
well said, yes, this is the main point.
Well, now that the definitions are clear - will surely educate new comers as to what is cultivated and what is wild and mark so for each observation!
3 Likes
Google Earth shows my favourites - railway stations and railway lines - those are treasure troves of weeds, insects, feathers. Also the edges around sportsfields, schools and shopping malls (Especially those that are not maintained so regularly). You might also have housing construction sites - especially those where bulk services are put in and then the housing starting after a short time - you will find trees sprouting and boatloads of weeds. And - some botanical gardens have wild areas or beds that are getting rested - ideal for spotting birds, insects, amphibians and fish as well as weeds. If you have city parks that are not mowed regularly, you will be amazed at the weeds growing in the grass, you miss it only when it is mowed (I’ve seen orchids on unmowed lawns). Last but not least - municipal waterworks, sewerage plants and rubbish dumps are often great providers of diversity that is overlooked because it seen as a wasteland, when in fact it is anything but. There is no need to bypass flora, it is there.
7 Likes
I agree this is confusing for the average user. Is this standard front and center for anyone posting? I have used inaturalist in the past to determine what nonnative flora (do I know it was cultivated?) in peoples yards. I have native plants in my yard, will people know they are native vs cultivated (well probably yes as it looks like a weed field).
2 Likes
I would say if you’re not sure if it’s cultivated or not, it’s fine to post it and just say “not sure if this is cultivated or not”. Most people new to plants will not immediately know every plant that was or wasn’t planted there by a human. They run the gamut from obviously planted (street tree with a plaque that says “this tree was planted in memory of Grandpa Jones”) to ambiguous (non-native ornamental perennial in an abandoned lot that might or might not have originally contained a garden) to obviously wild (spring ephemeral in a woodlot miles from human habitation). I think the key is for people to at least make an effort to think “was this planted here on purpose” when observing. Sure, they might not always come to the correct conclusion, but if they’re asking themselves the question they’re already doing better than many. The frustration comes when people observe 30 flowers in their garden that they themself planted there last year, or exotic trees growing out of mulch in a botanical garden with name tags in front of them… these don’t require any sort of plant knowledge to recognize as being human-planted.
11 Likes
Its not just people in cities. If I look at a hedgerow in rural Essex do I know if it was planted? Is a mown road verge cultivated? Its utterly daft. Where are the idiotic rules for this over zealous regime?
We do not have these here typically, but are not these intentionally planted as boundaries? I think you use your best understanding if you find volunteers growing within them but exclude what were clearly planted to create them.
Road verges and the strips along sidewalks, etc. are typically maintained, yes, but same rules apply. If you believe seed was spread (like grass) to create them, that grass would be cultivated, but even so the verges may contain wild plants (which would be mown down so lucky to spot them between mowings). I often find wild things hiding in maintained places as I walk; this black headed grass stood out in one just yesterday.
3 Likes
I believe in rural England hedgerows can be centuries old, so it would indeed be difficult to tell whether any particular shrub was planted or not. I’ve had similar questions when I travel in India or Africa and see a full grown tree near where people live - sure the baobab may be 500 years old and not clearly part of a landscaping project, but it was probably still a popular tree back then! At home any large native trees likely predate European settlement and were presumably wild, and ones that were planted tend to be in neat rows along streets.
2 Likes
Thank you! I just have limited experience, which is why I think using one’s best understanding is all one can do.
This covers the gray area, hopefully, and perhaps will help @this-meander feel less constricted.
7 Likes
For nearly any plant, it’s impossible to know for sure whether it was planted or not, but usually you can make a pretty good guess. I tend to give not obviously cultivated stuff the benefit of the doubt.
2 Likes
It’s not so easy to know the age of a tree, and a given age isn’t a clear indicator of what’s planted. in the Levant where I live, we have many human-planted trees over a thousand years old, and cultivation has gone on so long that even a wild tree could have been planted but the records long lost. but in New Jersey suburbs where I grew up, you’d be lucky to see any tree 100 years old. or, I’d enter a previously-devastated zone that had been protected for only 20 years and it’s a forest now that’s mostly wild. It depends a lot on the history of an area.
6 Likes
Many of the plants that were planted in restoration sites, hedgerows, roadsides, vacant lots, etc., can spread by seed or by rhizomes. If they can, they will. After a few years, we can’t really know for sure which individuals were planted by humans and which are wild. Mark them wild unless there’s a good reason not to.
If it’s obvious the plant didn’t come up on its own, mark it cultivated. Examples include trees growing in straight lines. In general, mark as cultivated those plants growing in pots, in mulch or bark chips, next to an irrigation line, or in bordered garden or landscaping areas. However, weeds can grow up in all those places, too. Looking carefully at plants for sale will help you figure some out. In general unattractive flowering plants weren’t planted.
At least in the U.S., road verges, also called roadsides, are usually planted with a cheap grass more or less suited to the environment, usually non-native. All the other stuff that moves in is wild. If somebody does plant flowers in the road ditch, the planting usually ends at the property line. Trees are sometimes planted in roadside, but less and less often because cars can crash into them. In fact, in some places roadside trees are cut out.
7 Likes
There can be huge grey areas with plants!
I think the best practice is to use your own knowledge of an area, but to be open to feedback. In my area there are many invasive plants that were once intentionally planted in gardens (sometimes they still are!) Posting observations and making IDs has taught me about the plants themselves - but also about garden and landscape management practices. A plant’s eye view at history, so to speak.
5 Likes