A convo with my neighbor's kid totally shifted my plant ID game

I was watering my balcony garden yesterday and my neighbor's 12 year old daughter walked by. She pointed at a weed I've been pulling for three years and said 'that's spotless lady's thumb, you can eat the leaves.' I looked it up and she was dead on. She learned it from a foraging book her mom got her last christmas. Made me realize I've been relying on apps instead of actually learning the plants themselves. Has anyone else had a kid teach them something obvious about botany that you totally missed?

2 comments

2 Comments

nathan_bailey10d ago

Wait, you're telling me a twelve-year-old just walked up and casually ID'd a weed you've been yanking for three years like it was nothing? That's got to sting a little, but it's also pretty impressive for a kid her age. I've been using those ID apps myself and they're handy enough, but they don't teach you the details like a book or a person can. Sounds like she's got a good head on her shoulders and a bright future ahead if she's already that sharp with plants.

black.margaret6d ago

Kid's probably read more field guides than most of us combined.