What Tree Is This? Identify a Tree by Leaf Photo

What the tree identifier reads from a leaf

Tree leaves carry species clues in their shape, edges, and veins. This free tool reads the outline, whether the margin is smooth, toothed, or lobed, how the veins branch, and whether the blade is a single leaf or a compound leaf of leaflets. From those traits it suggests the most likely tree and names the features behind the match.

• Leaf shape and size, from broad maples to slender willow blades.
• Margin type: smooth, finely toothed, or deeply lobed.
• Simple leaves versus compound leaves split into leaflets.
• Whether leaves sit opposite or alternate along the twig.

How to photograph a leaf to identify the tree

A clean photo does most of the work. Pick a mature, undamaged leaf, lay it flat, and shoot straight down in daylight against a plain background. Keep the whole leaf and its stem in frame so the tool can read the outline and how it attached to the branch — the details that separate similar trees.

• Choose a fully grown leaf, not a young or damaged one.
• Use even daylight and avoid harsh glare or shadow.
• Photograph the underside too if the veins stand out there.
• Add a photo of the twig, bark, or any fruit for context.

Reading your result and common tree lookalikes

Read the result as a ranked shortlist. Some trees are famously easy to mix up: red and sugar maples share a lobed leaf, oaks split into white and red groups by leaf tip, and ash leaves look like a single blade until you notice they are compound. Compare the matched traits against your leaf before settling on a name.

What kind of tree is this in my yard? Extra clues that confirm it

When you want to know what kind of tree is in your yard, the leaf is the start, not the finish. Bark texture, buds, flowers, seeds, and overall shape all help confirm a match, and they are easy to photograph from a tree you can walk up to. Note the leaf arrangement and any fruit or seed pods, then compare them to the shortlist.

• Bark: smooth, ridged, peeling, or plated.
• Fruit and seeds: acorns, samaras, cones, berries, or pods.
• Buds and twig pattern, especially in fall and winter.
• Whole-tree shape and where it grows: street, forest, or wetland.

When to check the app or ask an expert

Use this page for a fast, single-leaf read. Move to the Leaf Identifier app when you want to save scans, compare several trees, or track what's on your property over time. For a removal permit, a possibly protected species, or a tree near a pet or child that may be toxic, take sharper photos and confirm with an arborist, extension office, or the ASPCA for pet concerns.