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My grandmother's plant book still beats my phone app for tricky species

I used a new plant app last week, but it got a fern in my yard wrong. Her old book from the 70s had the right name right away. Some things don't improve with new tech.
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4 Comments
craig.viola
My local library's 2022 plant guide actually fixed a lot of old book mistakes. Apps get new info all the time, so they can catch up fast. It's not always about old versus new, both can help if used right!
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sean_barnes24
Totally get that "classic app fail" with the fern. I had the same thing happen trying to figure out an oak tree in my park. The app kept flipping between two types, but the drawings in my dad's old field guide showed the exact leaf shape and acorn detail. Sometimes those old books just have better, clearer pictures that someone really took time on. The app was trying to use my blurry photo, but the book had the real facts laid out in a way that made sense. I trust the paper book more now for sure.
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cole_gonzalez93
That fern in your yard story (classic app fail) happened to my friend with a rose bush. Her app said it was one type, but her grandpa's book from the 70s corrected it. Old books have a kind of built-in wisdom, you know?
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the_jennifer
That rose bush mix-up sounds pretty harmless, honestly.
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