This document describes the BBCH scale for coding phenological growth stages of mono- and dicotyledonous plants. The BBCH scale was jointly developed by several German organizations to standardize descriptions of plant development stages. It uses a deciaml code system to classify 10 principal growth stages (0-9) that are further divided into secondary stages (0-9) to precisely define development timings. The general scale provides descriptions that apply broadly across plant species, while individual scales describe specific species in more detail. The scale aims to facilitate scientific communication by standardizing terminology around plant growth stages.