Every plant is made of parts that each do a special job. Tap a part below to explore what it does.
Choose Root, Stem, Leaf, Flower, or Fruit above.
Try it: tap "Root" first, then "Leaf" to compare their jobs.
Most flowering plants are made of six main parts, each with its own job: the root, stem, leaf, flower, fruit, and seed. Together, these parts help the plant grow, make food, and produce new plants.
Roots usually grow underground and anchor the plant firmly in the soil. They also absorb water and minerals from the soil and carry them up to the rest of the plant. Some roots, like carrots, also store food.
One thick main root grows straight down, with thinner roots branching off it.
Many thin roots of similar size spread out like a web just below the surface.
The stem supports the plant and holds the leaves, flowers, and fruit up towards sunlight. It also acts like a pipeline, carrying water and minerals from the roots to the leaves, and carrying food made by the leaves to the rest of the plant.
A potato is actually a swollen underground stem that stores food for the plant — not a root!
Leaves are the plant's food factories. Using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide from the air, leaves make food for the plant through a process called photosynthesis. Leaves also release oxygen into the air, which we breathe.
The flower is the plant's reproductive part. It contains the parts needed to make seeds, and its bright colours and scent attract insects like bees that help with pollination.
After pollination, the flower slowly changes into a fruit, and inside the fruit, seeds develop. Each seed can grow into a brand new plant.
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