Where are apical meristems found in plants?

Apical meristems are regions of actively dividing cells found at the tips of roots and shoots in plants.12

These meristems are responsible for the primary growth of the plant, specifically driving the extension in length of both the root and shoot systems. In the root, the apical meristem is located at the root apex and is protected by a structure called the root cap. In higher vascular plants, all stems and branches terminate in shoot apical meristems, which serve as centers for the development of leaves and buds. Through the process of mitosis, these cells provide a continuous source of new tissue that eventually differentiates into the primary plant body.132