Seed Germination

Germination is the process of a seed starting to grow. Inside every seed is a tiny baby plant waiting for the right conditions. When a seed gets enough water, warmth, and oxygen, it wakes up and starts to grow. A root pushes down and a stem pushes up.

What Seeds Need

Seeds need three things to germinate: water, warmth, and oxygen. Water softens the seed coat and starts chemical reactions inside. Warmth tells the seed it is the right season to grow. Oxygen helps the seed breathe and make energy. Most seeds do not need light to germinate.

How It Happens

First, the seed absorbs water and swells up. The seed coat cracks open. A tiny root called the radicle pushes down into the soil. Then a small shoot pushes upward toward the light. The first leaves to appear are called seed leaves or cotyledons. Soon, true leaves grow and the plant starts making its own food.

Fun Facts

• Some seeds need to pass through an animal's stomach before they can germinate.
• The lotus seed can germinate after being dormant for over 1,000 years.
• Bean seeds can germinate in just two to three days under the right conditions.

Did You Know?

Some seeds need fire to germinate! Certain pine trees have cones that only open after a forest fire, allowing seeds to sprout in the fresh, open ground.