Looking for [identification] is:q currently finds 3,115 questions.
But [identification] is:q plantnet eliminates all but 5.
Many other .SE sites require a demonstration of previous research for each question.
Should there be a similar requirement on identification questions?
In my opinion, no. There are lots of ways to identify a plant, and asking a friend/expert is one of them - which is how I like to think about this community.
I also observed that the best answers also include gardening-relevant information that goes beyond the simple “its X”, e.g. care, observed issues with the specific plant etc., which is a quality a tool can’t necessarily provide. Others point out the crucial details that help differentiate one plant from their doppelgängers.
Answers that consist merely of “It’s X” are usually not so well-received and the posters requested to add at least some references.
However, this is not an excuse for sloppily phrased questions with blurry pictures and no text beyond “what’s that”. We should treat all questions equally and bad questions are bad questions and deserve downvotes or deletion. Putting effort into a question is the basic respect all community members that volunteer their time and expertise deserve.
