Plant Parts and Their Powers

Imagine you forgot to water a plant for two weeks. What do you think would happen to it — and why? Now imagine pulling a plant out of the soil and leaving its roots dangling in the air. Would it survive? Plants look simple, but every single part has a vital job to do. In this lesson, you will find out what those jobs are.

A flowering plant has four main parts: roots, stem, leaves, and flower. Each part has a specific function — meaning a job it does to keep the plant alive and help it reproduce. **Roots** grow down into the soil. They anchor the plant so it does not fall over. Roots also absorb water and minerals from the soil. Minerals are natural chemicals in the soil that help the plant grow strong and healthy. Without roots, the plant could not drink. **The stem** grows upward from the roots. It supports the plant and holds it upright toward the light. The stem also acts like a set of pipes — it transports, or carries, water and minerals from the roots up to the leaves and flower. Some stems, like a daffodil's, are thin and flexible. Others, like a tree trunk, are thick and woody. **Leaves** are usually flat and green. Their main job is to make food for the plant through a process called photosynthesis. In photosynthesis, leaves use sunlight, water, and a gas from the air called carbon dioxide to produce sugar — the plant's food. This is why plants need sunlight. Leaves have tiny holes called stomata that let air in and out. **The flower** is the plant's reproductive structure — it is involved in making new plants. Flowers contain pollen, a fine powder, and also produce seeds. Insects such as bees visit flowers to collect nectar. While they feed, pollen sticks to them and is carried to other flowers. This process is called pollination. After pollination, seeds form inside the flower. Seeds can fall to the ground and grow into new plants.