What type of plant label will work best in your garden?
The first step to finding the plant label that will work best in your garden is to know what your identification goals are. Are you looking to color coordinate, sequentially number, or write on the tag yourself? Do you need something simple or do you need something with a high end polished look? Another factor to keep in mind is the environment; are these temporary for the summer, or do they need to last year-round where the tag will be subjected to harsh weather?
National Band & Tag has a variety of plant labels available to meet your identification needs.
Plastic Plant Labels
Plastic plant labels are helpful in the garden when you want to color-code your plants or have bright visible labels. Plastic plant labels can be written on with a sharpie, or our recommended All-Weather Marker. These tags can also be custom laser etched with your company’s name, logo, and a barcode. Plastic plant labels come in a variety of sizes, from a small potted plant all the way to a large shrub or bush, we have the size to fit your plant. They are versatile and can work for an at-home gardener or a garden retail store. Plastic tags are great for temporary use or 1+ years outdoors, depending on how harsh the weather is. Available in Pink, Orange, White, and Yellow.
Write-On Plant Tags
Write-On Tags are made from a thin metal (aluminum or copper) that you can engrave on yourself with a pen or sharp object. The 2702 series has a biodegradable cardboard backing to assist in writing on the tag. These tags are helpful when you need to engrave on the spot and want something durable to last outdoors.
Metal Tags
Metal plant tags are helpful for gardeners looking to identify a lot of information about one plant, such as their name, species, genius, care instructions, etc. Metal plant tags come in a variety of materials, but we recommend the UV Stable Black Aluminum material, especially if you need the label to last for years outdoors. QR Codes can be laser etched onto metal tags for those who want to create an education walking trails like an arboretum or botanical garden.
Wood Pot Labels and Wood Stakes
Both plain and treated wood pot labels are available in multiple sizes depending on the size of the potted plant you are trying to label. Wood Pot Labels are great for labeling plants for sale at a garden store or nursery. Wood Stakes are helpful for labeling trees, plots of land, rows of trees, and bushes. They can be written on with a sharpie or our All-Weather Marker shown above under plastic tags.
I’m building a botanical garden on my 1-acre plot on Oahu island in Hawaii. I’d very much like to tag my plantings both aesthetically and to contain information such as scientific name, family, origin, and Hawaiian name. The garden is both a source of food and pleasure for my family that resides here, as well as an open garden for visitors to enjoy. I would appreciate feedback on the kinds of material(s) that I ought to consider and how best to achieve a cohesive look and feel if I choose to use different materials.
Hello Jimmie,
I would recommend using our style #14arbor: https://www.nationalband.com/arboretum-tags/
or style #14plant: https://www.nationalband.com/plant-tags/
They are made from a UV Stable material that will stand up the best in your environment. The #14arbor is a larger tag, usually used on trees. But if you want to fit a lot of text on your tags, it is one of our largest tags. Otherwise, the style #14plant is our smaller version for labeling plants. You can still fit a good amount of information on these tags.
To get a price quote, choose your tag style, how many tags you need, and what you want on them. Email this info to [email protected], and a customer service representative will be able to assist you.
Our permanent markings must survive changing weather conditions because we unquestionably place our plants outdoors so they may enjoy the sunlight and mild rain. We have the option of using waterproof markers designed for use in gardens and nurseries. The alternative is to choose a conventional permanent with characteristics for the sun and water resistance.
Hello! If you need a permanent marking that needs to survive multiple weather conditions, then the laser etched UV stable aluminum tags will 100% be your best bet.