7 Plants Around the World

World Book's Learning Ladders Plants Around the World

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What is a plant? Plants are living things that grow in almost every part of the world. Plants grow on mountaintops, in oceans, in deserts, and in snow- covered areas. Some plants tower over people and animals. Others are so tiny that they can hardly be seen! Plants can have long lives. The oldest trees are California's bristlecone pines. Some of these trees are between 4,000 and 5,000 years old! Most roots grow under the ground. They hold the plant in the soil. They also take in water and minerals that the plant needs to grow. The stem holds up the plant and carries food to all parts of the plant.

Flowers grow from buds along the stems of a plant. Seeds are made inside the flowers. Leaves make food for the plant. It's a fact! The tallest trees are California's redwoods. Some are several stories taller than the Statue of Liberty!

How do plants grow? All living things need energy to grow. Animals get energy from the food they eat, such as plants and other animals. But plants make their own food from sunlight. Most plants also need water, air, and soil to grow. The drawings show the growth of a bean plant. Water lilies can live with most of their parts underwater. The plant's beautiful flowers grow on long stalks that rise from the mud bottom. 5 Beans grow from the flowers.

1 Plants begin life as a seed. A seedling grows from a seed. 2 The root grows down. The stem breaks through the soil. 3 The buds become the first leaves. 4 The stem grows upward. Leaves grow and flowers begin to bloom. It's a fact! Bamboo is a type of grass that grows very quickly. One bamboo grew 36 inches (91 centimeters) in a day. That's taller than a two-year-old!