Trees and Plants

Plants are extraordinary living things. Unlike animals, which must eat other living things, plants make their very own food. They do this using three ingredients: sunlight, water from the soil, and a gas from the air called carbon dioxide. This food-making process is called photosynthesis, a word that means "putting together with light".

Photosynthesis happens mostly in the leaves, which contain a green substance called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll captures the energy in sunlight, a bit like a tiny solar panel, and uses it to turn water and carbon dioxide into a sugar the plant uses for energy and growth. It is the green colour of chlorophyll that makes leaves and grass look green.

A plant has four main parts, and each one has a special job. The roots anchor the plant firmly in the soil and soak up water and minerals. The stem holds the plant up and carries water up to the leaves, a bit like a set of pipes. The leaves capture sunlight and carry out photosynthesis. The flowers attract pollinating insects and help the plant make seeds.

Flowers are how many plants make new plants. When a pollinator such as a bee carries pollen from one flower to another, the flower is pollinated and can grow into a fruit or seed pod. Seeds are then carried away from the parent plant — by the wind, floating on water, or hitching a ride on an animal's fur or inside a tasty fruit. When a seed lands somewhere with enough light, water, and warmth, it germinates, sending out its first root and shoot, and a brand new plant begins.