plants questions

Plants are stranger than they look

Browse clear answers about plant senses, seeds, flowers, trees, fungi, light, water, oxygen, and the survival tricks growing quietly around us.

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24 questions

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Editorial illustration of a plant releasing chemical signals after being damaged

BOTANY

Can Plants Feel Pain?

plantspain

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Editorial illustration of a plant with musical notes around it

BOTANY

Can Plants Hear Music?

plantsmusic

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Editorial illustration of an old tree with visible signs of disease

BOTANY

Do Trees Die of Old Age?

treesaging

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Editorial illustration of trees connected by an underground fungal network

FOREST ECOLOGY

Do Trees Talk to Each Other?

treescommunication

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Editorial illustration of a leaf with chlorophyll molecules and sunlight absorption

BOTANY

Why Are Leaves Green?

leaveschlorophyll

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Editorial illustration of a cactus with sharp spines and a desert backdrop

BOTANY

Why Do Cacti Have Spines?

cactispines

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Editorial illustration of a fern releasing spores into the air

BOTANY

Why Do Ferns Have Spores?

fernsspores

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Editorial illustration of a flower closing at nightfall

BOTANY

Why Do Flowers Close at Night?

flowerssleep

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Editorial illustration of a bee drinking nectar from a flower

BOTANY

Why Do Flowers Have Nectar?

flowersnectar

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Editorial illustration of a flower emitting scent molecules to attract a bee

BOTANY

Why Do Flowers Smell Good?

flowersscent

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Editorial illustration of a fruit with seeds being eaten by an animal

BOTANY

Why Do Fruits Have Seeds?

fruitsseeds

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Editorial illustration of moss growing on a rock

BOTANY

Why Do Mosses Grow on Rocks?

mossrocks

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Editorial illustration of mushrooms growing after a rainstorm

MYCOLOGY

Why Do Mushrooms Grow After Rain?

mushroomsfungi

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Editorial illustration of a pinecone opening in dry conditions and closing in wet conditions

BOTANY

Why Do Pinecones Open and Close?

pineconestrees

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Editorial illustration of a plant bending toward a light source

BOTANY

Why Do Plants Grow Toward Light?

plantslight

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Editorial illustration of a plant absorbing water through its roots

BOTANY

Why Do Plants Need Water?

plantswater

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Editorial illustration of a plant releasing oxygen bubbles into the air

BOTANY

Why Do Plants Produce Oxygen?

plantsoxygen

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Editorial illustration of potatoes growing underground

BOTANY

Why Do Potatoes Grow Underground?

potatoestubers

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Editorial illustration of a Venus flytrap catching an insect

BOTANY

Why Do Some Plants Eat Bugs?

carnivorous plantsinsects

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Editorial illustration of a tomato cross-section showing seeds

BOTANY

Why Do Tomatoes Have Seeds?

tomatoesseeds

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Editorial illustration of tree bark layers protecting the living wood inside a tree trunk

BOTANY

Why Do Trees Have Bark?

treesbark

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Editorial illustration of a tree shedding leaves in autumn

BOTANY

Why Do Trees Lose Leaves?

treesleaves

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BOTANY

Why Do Venus Flytraps Eat Bugs?

venus flytrapcarnivorous plants

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Editorial illustration of weeds growing quickly in a garden

BOTANY

Why Do Weeds Grow So Fast?

weedsplants

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