Plants & Trees Facts for Kids
Fascinating facts about the plant world
The artichoke we eat is actually the unopened flower bud of a large thistle plant; if left unpicked, it blooms into a striking purple flower.
Seeds called sea beans from tropical trees fall into rivers, drift out to sea, and ride ocean currents for years, eventually washing up on beaches in Ireland and Scotland.
Certain species of kelp and red algae live in the polar oceans and can photosynthesise in near-freezing water and under sea ice.
Hemp, a variety of the Cannabis plant, has over 25,000 known industrial uses including rope, paper, textiles, building materials, and biofuel.
Climbing plants like peas and cucumbers grow thin coiling tendrils that wrap tightly around supports within hours of contact, using a process called thigmotropism.
During Amazon floods, fish swim into the forest to eat fallen fruits and seeds; many trees depend entirely on these fish to swallow and spread their seeds to new locations.
Ginkgo biloba is often called a living fossil — its species has existed for over 200 million years and survived the dinosaurs, ice ages, and even the atomic bomb in Hiroshima.
The passionflower has a ring of coloured filaments called a corona that acts as a landing platform and guides bees toward its pollen and nectar.
The neem tree, found across India and Africa, produces chemicals that are natural pesticides, and its leaves, bark, and oil have been used in traditional medicine for over 4,000 years.
Watermelons are 92% water, making them one of the most hydrating foods you can eat — and the entire fruit, including the rind, is edible.