Meet the Plant: A Tour from Root to Flower

Look at a potted plant or a tree outside. Now think: if you gently pulled it, what do you think would stop it coming out of the ground? And how does water get from the soil all the way up to the leaves at the top? Hold those questions in your head — this lesson will answer them.

Most plants you see every day have four main parts: roots, a stem, leaves, and a flower. Each part has its own important job. ROOTS grow underground. They anchor the plant firmly in the soil so it does not fall over. Roots also soak up water and minerals — tiny nutrients dissolved in the soil that the plant needs to grow. If you have ever pulled a weed, you have seen roots! The STEM is the main stalk of the plant. It holds the plant upright so its leaves can catch sunlight. The stem also works like a pipe, carrying water from the roots up to the leaves and flowers. LEAVES are flat and wide so they can catch as much sunlight as possible. They use sunlight, water, and a gas from the air called carbon dioxide to make food for the plant. This food-making process is called photosynthesis. The FLOWER is the part that helps the plant to reproduce — that means make new plants. Flowers attract insects such as bees, which carry pollen from flower to flower. After pollination, seeds form inside the flower. Seeds can grow into new plants. Worked example — a sunflower: Imagine a tall sunflower. Its roots grip the soil and drink water. Its thick green stem lifts it high toward the sun. Its broad leaves gather sunlight to make food. Its large yellow flower attracts bees, which help it make seeds. Every part has a reason for being there!