TheLorax
Awardless studette
I think I've tried about everything commercially available over the years to be able to identify my plants for a host of reasons.
For trees and shrubs as well as groupings of plants outside, I use a brand similar to the stakes at the link below that are 20" tall and copper and can be pushed down into the ground well over a foot to stop them from getting heaved during rapid freeze thaw cycles (I will be using these in the raised bed for the C. acaule I planted)-
http://www.dpind.com/Metal_Garden_Markers_s/3.htm
These also stay put when deer and kids trample them accidentally.
For other plants grown outside in pots, I've literally resorted to drilling a little hole in the lip of the pot to be able to attach a zinc tag. I now use similar to this and the squirrels can not take off with them since they are looped through a hole in the pot. If you use a cheap engraving took, you can permanently write the binomial as well as any other information you want on the tag-
https://www.mobot.org/hort/gardens/zinc.htm
I have several different species and variations of Spiranthes as well as other plants that may be the exact same species but have different location of origin data and the tags help keep me keep them straight. Great to attach to a tray of seedlings too because many all look alike for a while.
While re-potting my plants these last few days, I realized that almost all the little plastic tags I've bought for indoor only plants have failed me over the long run. I began using vinyl mini blinds to make my own tags a while ago at the suggestion of a friend. I cut them to two different sizes to be able to get the most out of the mini-blinds. I used to grab them from the curb on garbage day when I spotted them poking out of cans but hadn't seen any in a while so I had to buy a pack from Home Depot for $6. I am pretty sure I've gotten several hundred tags out of this set of store bought mini-blinds. I write information about the plant on the tag I create with a #2 pencil (permanent markers and paint pens always fade over the years). The vinyl from mini-blinds must have some sort of a UV stabilizer in it so they haven't cracked or split on me.
Other than that, I've given away a few divisions of my original paph and when I potted up the divisions, I used Shrinky Dinks to create decorative plant tags. Remember Shrinky Dinks from when we were kids? Well, they're not just for kids anymore! I don't know what my original paph is because I long ago lost the tag so I simply wrote Paphiopedilum from Lauren on the a heart shaped piece of Shrinky Dink in black and drew a tiny little picture of a slipper orchid in pink on the tag with some sort of a green leaf. If you use a paper hole punch to make a hole in your Shrinky Dink before you bake it, you'll have a ready made place to attach it to a stake or to a ribbon. They really turn out nice and they are permanent once you bake them. If anyone is giving gift plants this coming Christmas, these shrinky dink tags really look nice.
http://www.shrinkydinks.com/
Just a few ideas that are have been about as permanent as you can get in the form of a plant tag.
For trees and shrubs as well as groupings of plants outside, I use a brand similar to the stakes at the link below that are 20" tall and copper and can be pushed down into the ground well over a foot to stop them from getting heaved during rapid freeze thaw cycles (I will be using these in the raised bed for the C. acaule I planted)-
http://www.dpind.com/Metal_Garden_Markers_s/3.htm
These also stay put when deer and kids trample them accidentally.
For other plants grown outside in pots, I've literally resorted to drilling a little hole in the lip of the pot to be able to attach a zinc tag. I now use similar to this and the squirrels can not take off with them since they are looped through a hole in the pot. If you use a cheap engraving took, you can permanently write the binomial as well as any other information you want on the tag-
https://www.mobot.org/hort/gardens/zinc.htm
I have several different species and variations of Spiranthes as well as other plants that may be the exact same species but have different location of origin data and the tags help keep me keep them straight. Great to attach to a tray of seedlings too because many all look alike for a while.
While re-potting my plants these last few days, I realized that almost all the little plastic tags I've bought for indoor only plants have failed me over the long run. I began using vinyl mini blinds to make my own tags a while ago at the suggestion of a friend. I cut them to two different sizes to be able to get the most out of the mini-blinds. I used to grab them from the curb on garbage day when I spotted them poking out of cans but hadn't seen any in a while so I had to buy a pack from Home Depot for $6. I am pretty sure I've gotten several hundred tags out of this set of store bought mini-blinds. I write information about the plant on the tag I create with a #2 pencil (permanent markers and paint pens always fade over the years). The vinyl from mini-blinds must have some sort of a UV stabilizer in it so they haven't cracked or split on me.

Other than that, I've given away a few divisions of my original paph and when I potted up the divisions, I used Shrinky Dinks to create decorative plant tags. Remember Shrinky Dinks from when we were kids? Well, they're not just for kids anymore! I don't know what my original paph is because I long ago lost the tag so I simply wrote Paphiopedilum from Lauren on the a heart shaped piece of Shrinky Dink in black and drew a tiny little picture of a slipper orchid in pink on the tag with some sort of a green leaf. If you use a paper hole punch to make a hole in your Shrinky Dink before you bake it, you'll have a ready made place to attach it to a stake or to a ribbon. They really turn out nice and they are permanent once you bake them. If anyone is giving gift plants this coming Christmas, these shrinky dink tags really look nice.
http://www.shrinkydinks.com/
Just a few ideas that are have been about as permanent as you can get in the form of a plant tag.