API documentation

Query a curated database of 140,000+ plants. Filter by hardiness zone, sunlight, water needs, plant type, and garden use. Returns JSON.

GET/api/recommend

Returns plants matching your filters. Up to 20 results per request, sorted by data completeness.

Parameters

All parameters are optional. Combine as many as you want.

Parameter	Type	Values
`zone`	integer	2 through 13 (USDA hardiness zone)
`sun`	string	`full_sun`, `partial_sun`, `partial_shade`, `full_shade`
`water`	string	`dry`, `moderate`, `moist`, `wet`
`type`	string	`annual`, `perennial`, `shrub`, `tree`, `vine`, `bulb`, `grass`, `groundcover`, `houseplant`, `succulent`, `fern`
`use`	string	`pollinator_garden`, `cut_flower`, `container`, `ground_cover`, `hedge`, `shade_garden`, `border`, `specimen`, `food_garden`, `rock_garden`, `xeriscape`, `rain_garden`, `cottage_garden`, `woodland`, `meadow`, `privacy_screen`, `foundation`, `winter_interest`, `accent`, `annual_bed`, `formal_garden`, `indoor`, `low_maintenance`, `naturalized`, `perennial_bed`, `windbreak`
`deer_resistant`	boolean	`true`
`fragrant`	boolean	`true`
`edible`	boolean	`true`

Example request

GET https://selectaplant.com/api/recommend?zone=5&sun=full_sun&use=pollinator_garden

Example response

{
  "total": 42,
  "showing": 20,
  "plants": [
    {
      "slug": "weigela-florida-sonic-bloom-red",
      "common_name": "Sonic Bloom Red Weigela",
      "botanical_name": "Weigela florida 'Sonic Bloom Red'",
      "plant_type": "shrub",
      "zones": "4-8",
      "sun": "Full sun",
      "deer_resistant": false,
      "fragrant": false,
      "edible": false,
      "notes": "Proven Winners ColorChoice"
    }
  ]
}

GET/plants/[slug]

Individual plant pages with full structured data. These are static HTML pages, not JSON. There are 140,000+ plant pages generated from the database.

Example

https://selectaplant.com/plants/weigela-florida-sonic-bloom-red

GET/api/plantsComing soon

Full database access with all fields and unlimited results. This endpoint will be gated via x402 micropayments. Returns HTTP 402 for now.

Pricing target: $0.001 per query.

About the data

The database contains 140,000+ plants curated from RHS Award of Garden Merit lists, the American Rose Society, Proven Winners, Monrovia, All-America Selections winners, botanical registries, and other sources. Duplicate records are merged, with each plant keyed on genus, species, and cultivar. Data includes hardiness zones, sun and water needs, height, spread, bloom season, garden uses, deer resistance, and more.

Select-A-Plant is a Home for the Harvest project.