How do plants grow?: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Oct. 18, 2026

Photos

A young girl in a white shirt examines a ripe red tomato on the vine in a garden, preparing to harvest it.

A young green seedling with several leaves grows from soil, illuminated by bright sunlight streaming in from the upper right.

Five sunflower sprouts at different stages of germination emerge from dark soil, each with roots and seed coats still attached to their stems.

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