One of the easiest ways to get a positive identification of a plant* is to hop on Facebook and ask the community! There will often be a mix of answers, but I’ve found that one answer usually rises above the rest.
No matter where you’re looking for answers, here’s a short list of things that can help you get the correct ID:
– A picture of the entire plant to show its overall growth habit and maturity (zoomed out)
– A close-up of at least one leaf filling the photo (multiple if there’s variegation, or if immature leaves are differently-shaped than mature leaves)
– A picture or description of the petioles, or leaf stems — for some IDs, especially philodendrons, it can make the ID very simple.
– Any new growth on the plant
– Anything else remarkable about the plant
– A description of whether the leaves are thin, papery, leathery, waxy, etc