Plants

Almost every food chain on land begins with a plant. By capturing sunlight and turning it into sugar through photosynthesis, plants feed animals, release the oxygen we breathe and hold soil in place with their roots. They have been doing this for hundreds of millions of years, and today they range from tiny mosses and ferns that spread by spores to towering conifers and flowering plants that rely on bees, birds and the wind to carry their pollen. Some have even found unusual ways to survive, from water-storing succulents in deserts to carnivorous plants that trap insects to make up for poor soil.

This section gathers guides to the plant world for curious kids, students, teachers and home gardeners. Browse seasonal blooms such as spring flowers, get to know familiar giants in our guide to trees, or explore garden crops, fruits and herbs. You will also find easy houseplant profiles, articles on how plants help slow climate change, and step-by-step explainers like the plant life cycle, showing how a single seed grows, flowers and makes seeds of its own.