How does a tiny sprout become a tall plant? Busy cells at the tips of its roots and shoots keep dividing, again and again!
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At the very tip of every growing shoot and every root is a small group of busy cells called the meristem (say it: MAIR-ih-stem).
Meristem cells are tiny and packed close together. Their big job is to divide: one cell splits into two, then those split again. They are a bit like a plant's own stem cells.
Press Divide! on the 3D model to watch the growing tip cells get busy.
New cells made at the tip get pushed back. There they stretch longer and turn into the cells the plant needs, like water pipe cells or leaf cells. That's how stems grow taller and roots grow deeper.
The tip of a shoot also makes little bumps on its sides. Each bump grows into a new leaf.
Press Make a new leaf to see a leaf grow from the side of the tip.
Trees also have a thin layer of dividing cells under the bark that makes the trunk wider. That's how trees get tree rings!
Because plants have cells that can keep making new cells, a piece of stem cut from a plant can often grow new roots and become a whole new plant. This piece is called a cutting.
With a grown-up, snip a piece of stem from a mint or basil plant. Pull off the bottom leaves and stand it in a glass of water on a sunny windowsill. Change the water every few days. In a week or two you may see new roots!
By SciShow Kids. A fun video for kids.
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