Seeds and How Plants Grow

Seeds are amazing little packages made by plants. Inside each seed is a tiny baby plant and a supply of food. When conditions are right, the seed sprouts and a new plant begins to grow. Seeds come in all shapes and sizes.

From Seed to Plant

When a seed gets enough water and warmth, it starts to germinate. A tiny root pushes down into the soil. Then a stem pushes up toward the light. The first leaves appear and the plant starts making food from sunlight. This process is called photosynthesis.

How Seeds Travel

Plants have clever ways to spread their seeds. Wind carries dandelion and maple seeds through the air. Birds eat berries and drop the seeds far away. Some seeds stick to animal fur and hitch a ride. Coconuts float on ocean water to reach new beaches.

Fun Facts

• The largest seed in the world is the coco de mer, which can weigh over 40 pounds.
• Some seeds can survive for hundreds of years before sprouting.
• A sunflower head can contain up to 2,000 seeds.

Did You Know?

Scientists grew a plant from a seed that was about 2,000 years old! The seed was found at an ancient site in Israel and grew into a date palm tree.