The anatomy of a plant

Orchid close up

Plants are very much like humans; they are living organisms; they both depend on sun and water to keep them alive; plants produce oxygen which people breathe in, while  humans exhale carbon dioxide; sex cells combine to produce babies in humans and they produce seeds in plants. 

 

In the famous story of Alice in Wonderland, it says ‘What did you say?” Cried Alice, “That a flower is a mirror of me?” “Yes,” said the Hatter,” as he stood on his head. “We’re an upside down, inside out plant!” “What! Don’t confuse me!” Alice implored as she bent her head between her legs to view the Hatter eye to eye. “Well, they breathe in what we exhale; and furthermore, exhale what we need. Their roots face the Earth’s center, while our brain sits on the tippy tops of our bodies. Our reproductive organs are hidden in the bottom of our body, and their reproductive organs are exposed for all to see on top.”

 

A plant consists of cells,  stems,  leaves, veins, stamen (the male organ of a flower), filament, pistils, petals,  flowers and roots. A flower bloom, or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants. In order for a garden to grow, it must have air, sun, rain, soil, plants, and seed; each is necessary for a garden to grow.   When green plants use energy from the sun, combined with carbon dioxide from the air and water from the rain to make food; it’s called photosynthesis.  Chlorophyll is the molecule in leaves that use the energy.  Leaves are the powerhouse of plants and in the leaves are major areas for food production. The leaf converts the energy from sunlight into a chemical energy that the plants need for food in order to produce blooms

 

The growing process of a plant begins with a root. Roots take in water and minerals from the soil to feed the plant; stems carry the water and minerals from the roots to the leaves and holds up the plant so it can get sunlight; leaves make the food to help the plant grow by using water, minerals, air, and the sun’s energy; the flower bloom helps make more plants by making fruits and their seeds; and fruit reproduces seed to continue the plant’s legacy. Once a plant flowers, the flower makes more plants by producing fruit and seeds. The fruit protects the seeds inside. Once a seed falls to the soil, it develops roots. The roots take in water and minerals from the soil to feed the growing plant. Then the roots develop sprouts, and each sprout turns into a stem. The stem carries water and minerals from the roots to the leaves. It also carries food from the leaves to other parts of the plant. The stem also holds up the plant so it can get sunlight. Some parts of a plant feed other parts; other parts produce new seed; and still others transport energy and food from one place to another. Each part has its own job to do in order to keep the entire plant alive. Each part of the plant relies on another and each has its own critical function. Each part of a plant has its own function, yet it depends on all of the other parts in order to perform its own duties and run efficiently, in other words, bloom.

 

Gardeners cultivate many plants primarily for their flowers, but to botanists, a flower bloom is simply a plant’s reproductive unit. Nearly all plants bloom.  Once a plant begins to bloom, you know it is thriving and flourishing; it’s at its peak and in full splendor. Although many people think of flowers as being brightly colored and showy, some blooms are very small and inconspicuous. Most of us admire blooms for their beauty, but the function of a blossom is to make seed. A plant blooms first, and then the bloom produces the seed.  

 

Scientists believe that there are over two hundred and sixty thousand species of plants on earth. Some plants are more functional than beautiful, and some are more beautiful and less functional. Some plants produce food that we need in order to live; some produce lumber, which we use to build houses; some produce cotton, which we use to make clothing; and others produce substances that are used to make medicine, rubber, perfume, paper, and many other important items we need to live. Some plants have long lives, and some are short lived. Some plants smell good; some have no smell at all; and still others look good and smell bad; yet each has its own purpose.  

 

Great plant combinations planted in the garden are similar to great marriages; little sprouts need care like small children; wildflowers need to have some freedom to grow like our teens, and wise old trees live beyond their years and can still tell a story, like our seniors.  There are so many similarities in the growth and care of plants, as in humans. So know what your plant needs to grow and thrive, and choose plants that will grow best under your garden conditions.   All plants have light and soil requirements; for examples, plants that grow in deep shade often die in the hot sun and plants that grow in the hot sun will not flourish and many times die in the shade. Some plants can thrive in poor soil, whereas others will not survive. A cactus cannot grow in water, a water lily cannot grow in the desert, and a palm tree cannot grow in the artic regions. Knowing what conditions a plant needs in order to grow, thrive, and bloom, is as important to a plant’s success as taking care of our own bodies and giving them what they need.