Flora Incognita
An app that identifies wild plants, even when they aren't in bloom.
What Flora Incognita does
Flora Incognita is a free plant ID app from a research team at Technische Universität Ilmenau in Germany. It's made for wild plants, can work even when a plant isn't flowering, and has no ads and no premium tier. Your observations go into conservation research.
Flora Incognita is a research project you can carry in your pocket. It's built for wild plants: you pick a rough group (herb, shrub, grass or fern), take a photo or two, and it suggests species with a confidence level. It can work on plants that aren't in flower, which many apps struggle with.
Each ID comes with a plant profile, and your finds are saved to a personal list with a map of where you saw them. The app says it's free, has no ads and has no premium version or subscription. Observations feed a research project studying topics like invasive species and the effects of climate change.
In a 2025 test on tricky wild plants in the UK, it handled a sedge and a fern that several other apps missed. It isn't a houseplant care app, so there are no reminders. And a good ID is not a safety check, so never rely on it to decide whether a wild plant is safe to eat or touch.
Alternatives to Flora Incognita
Who it's for
Skip it if: Houseplant owners looking for care reminders.
Pricing
Free planFlora Incognita is completely free. The app says there are no ads, no premium version and no subscription.
Prices can vary by country. Checked 19 Oct 2026.
What people like
- Free with no ads or paywall
- Handles tricky plants like grasses and ferns
- Several photos for better accuracy
- Supports conservation research
Watch out for
- No houseplant care features
- A few extra taps before each ID
- Few ratings on the US App Store, so it's less known here
Want a field journal of your own? Build your own.
Describe your app idea and Bilt builds it. Free to start, on your phone in minutes.
Try this idea: “a simple field journal app where I add a photo of each wildflower I find, its name and the date”
Questions people ask
Is Flora Incognita free?
Yes. It's free with no ads, no premium version and no subscription.
Can it identify plants that aren't flowering?
Yes. The app says it can identify plants without flowers, and it lets you add several photos to improve the result.
Who makes Flora Incognita?
A research team at Technische Universität Ilmenau in Germany. Observations from the app are used in conservation research.
Can I use it to find edible wild plants?
No. Never rely on an app to decide whether a wild plant is safe to eat or touch. Check with a local expert.