😅🤳✨️ Recently, a group of young adults walked past our front yard. They stopped at the carpet of Balkan anemones and wondered what kind of flowers they were. One pulled out his phone and proudly said, "Star aster", while a companion agreed: "Yes!" They were delighted at how easy it was to figure it out. I watched the scene from my window.

☝️🤓 However, asters have completely different leaves, grow in much sunnier locations, grow taller, and, most importantly, Aster amellus, the European Michaelmas daisy, bloom in late summer to fall, not now in April.

🧐🤳🌿 I, too, frequently use the internet to identify animal and plant species. Traditionally, I either have a hunch or figure out what it is by describing its characteristics. However, I know that there are often similar species, which is why I also take into account the season, local conditions, and frequency.

🤩🔎🪱 I'm often unsure about plants. My greatest fascination has always been creepy crawlies. But even with plants, I'm becoming more and more adept at narrowing down species. With all the cultivated hybrids, it's often not that easy. But you don't always need to know exactly - the fun lies in finding out.

🌱💫😊 There’s something kind of poetic about watching that moment from my window. Even if the conclusion wasn’t quite right, it shows how eager people are to connect with nature.

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.