We can see plants in many different places on Earth. There are plants in even the most hostile environments. Plants always find a way to survive and flourish.
Plants come in all shapes and sizes. Flora and fauna in the desert regions are very different from the foliage and animals found in rainforests. We can see tiny yellow buttercups that make us feel gigantic, and giant sequoias that make us feel minuscule. Some flowers will grow beautiful blooms, like tulips in the spring. Some trees will blossom and produce delicious fruits.
There are annuals that have one growing season, and then they die. Unfortunately, their life cycle is only a year long. If we want to see these plants again, they have to start growing from seeds or cuttings. Many of the fruits and vegetables we eat are annuals. For example, tomatoes and cucumbers.
Perennials do not have to be replanted every year. They can grow in the spring or summer and die in the autumn or winter. But these plants will return next spring. Perennials include apples, grapes, and raspberries.
There are also many biennials. These plants take two years to grow. They have a two-year life cycle. In the first year, only leaves, stems, and roots grow. In the second year, the plant will flower and produce seeds. Many vegetables are biennials. For example, beets, cabbage, and cauliflower.
Fungi are very common. We can see them growing on the forest floor. We can see them packaged and ready to eat at supermarkets. But don't start harvesting fungi on your own. Not all fungi are edible, and some are very poisonous!
For many years, people thought fungi were plants. Just like plants, most fungi live in the soil. Fungi also lack mobility; they are not able to move around on their own. But fungi do not have chlorophyll, which means they are not able to make their own food. That makes them very different from plants.
More recently, scientists found out that fungi actually have more characteristics in common with animals. Just like animals, fungi's survival depends on their absorption of nutrients. Most fungi feed on dead or decaying organisms; however, fungi are not animals either. Fungi belong in their own classification.
People have been utilizing plants for millennia. A florist might make a beautiful arrangement from different plants and flowers. You might see these colourful bouquets at special events. Or maybe you've seen them used as decoration.
Many cultures utilize plants for medicinal purposes. Some plants can be used to treat wounds. Other plants can be used to help with digestion. We also use plants like bamboo to make paper. We can also get rubber from certain plants. This material helps us make erasers and car tires. Cotton plants are very useful, because that's where cotton comes from. We can use cotton to make clothes, towels, and bedsheets.
How do we know so much about plants? Botanists are experts who study plants and flowers. They can learn more about how plants grow and how they've changed over time. Plants are essential to life and botanists are always trying to learn more. They may study huge rainforests or examine the tiniest part of an ecosystem.
Botany can be quite broad. Horticulture on the other hand involves the study of plants for food and for aesthetic purposes. For example, helping fruits and vegetables grow better. Horticulture can also include helping golf courses maintain their greenery.
Plants are all around us, and they are very important to life on Earth. Without plants, Earth would be very different.