The invention relates to a handheld device (1) and method for determining a status of one or more plants. The device includes a digital color camera (2) arranged for obtaining a color image of plants (24) within a field of view, a light source (4) arranged for providing broadband illumination to the plants within the field of view (20), and a processing unit arranged for controlling the camera and the light source for obtaining a first image of the plants while the light source illuminates the plants with broadband illumination, and obtaining a second image of the plants while the light source does not illuminate the plants.