Gardening for Wildlife
Native Plant Flashcards
Student Worksheet
Name _____________________________
Congratulations! You have found a native plant but need help identifying it. Use this simple form to narrow
down what the plant may be!
Part I: Determining Your Plant’s Habitat
1. First things first, what type of light do you think the plant receives? If you are not sure, look to see if the
plant is shaded by any trees or other plants or determine what type of sun the plant may receive (afternoon,
which is usually very hot, or morning, which is more mild) by the direction the garden is facing (north, east,
south, or west).
full sun
partial sun/shade
full shade
2. How about the soil? Pick up a handful soil; is it dry and crumbly, does it have some moisture, or is it very
wet? (Note: this may not be relevant if it has just rained!)
dry
some moisture
very wet
3. Lastly, have you noticed any signs of wildlife around the mystery plant? Does it have flowers that are
attracting butterflies or bees? Have you spotted a cocoon or chrysalis hanging from a stem? Did a squirrel
leave behind some acorns? The type of wildlife found around a plant can also help you to determine what
the plant is!
bees and other insects present
hummingbird present
caterpillars present
birds or bird nests present
signs of small mammals present
butterflies present
Once you have completed this form, turn to pages 1 and 2 in your Gardening for Wildlife Native Plant
Flashcards. You will notice that this guide uses 3 categories to help identify plants: wildlife value, sun and
water requirements, and habitats.
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Gardening for Wildlife
Native Plant Flashcards
Part II: Using Your Data to Find Potential Plant Matches
Looking at page 1 in your Gardening for Wildlife Native Plant Flashcards you will see that the same information
you collected on your worksheet is also listed here.
1. Using your results, see if any of your answers match up with any of the plants (Perennials, Shrubs, and
Trees section) listed on page 2. Write any potential matches below:
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2. Now that you have your list, it’s time to do some investigating! Using your list, turn to each
corresponding flashcard to determine if it is your mystery plant. Once you have found your plant, make a
record of what the plant is!
Common Name (first name listed on page): _________________________________
Botanical Name (Name in italicized font): ___________________________________
Fun fact! Did you know that a plant can have several different common names but that its botanical name is always
the same?
Draw a picture of your plant here:
What else could be used to identify your plant? Does it have any
specific features that make it stand out? (Examples may include:
thorns, flowers, leaf shape, plant height, etc.) Many field guides are
used to identify plants based on their leaves, flower, size, and other
physical characteristics.
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