Life Cycles of Plants for Children
Plants are an important part of Earth's ecology. They are primary producers, able to make their own food using energy from the sun and carbon dioxide from the air. The most familiar plants are the flowering plants, which include many wild and garden flowers, many trees (but not pine trees), and even grasses. Like all living things, plants must reproduce. Plant reproduction requires flowers and the creation and dispersal of seeds.
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Seeds
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Seeds contain a new plant embryo. An embryo is a tiny complete plant ready to start growing. Seeds can be spread by wind, animals or water or they can be planted by people.
Germination
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If the temperature is right and enough water is present, a seed will germinate. This means the tiny plant inside will put out a small root and break out of the seed to start growing.
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Flowers
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When a plant grows up, it produces flowers. Flowers have both male and female parts. The male parts produce pollen, and the female part contains ovules, which are sort of like tiny eggs.
Pollen
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Pollen is a powdery substance that contains cells used to fertilize the ovules. The pollen is usually spread to the ovules by wind or with the help of insects.
Ovules
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Ovules are enclosed within the base of female flowers. Ovules must be fertilized by the cells contained in pollen. Once fertilization happens, an embryo will develop and the ovules will become seeds.
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