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The amazing world of plants is filled with exciting and fun facts that are waiting to be explored. If you are keen to fire your child's imagination with interesting information, get ready to get surprised by plants facts even you aren't aware of.

50 Fun Facts about Plants for Children

Heard about weird species like Venus flytrap or poison ivy? The following information about plants for kids is a veritable treat for those who love interesting facts related to the magnificent plant kingdom:

1. We human beings use more than 2000 different types of plants to create various delicious food items in our meals.

2. Bamboo is an extremely rapid growing plant. In fact, some bamboo varieties can grow almost a metre (about 3.2 feet) in a single day.

3. Caffeine works as a pesticide in a coffee plant.

4. Apple's volume consists of 25% air which is why it floats on water.

5. More than 85% of plant life is found in the ocean.

6. Poison Ivy produces a skin irritant known as urushiol which can cause an allergic reaction like an itchy rash on the exposed skin.

7. Many plants are carnivores like the Venus Flytrap and eat tiny little insects and spiders to gain useful nutrients.

8. In order to help plants to grow, fertilisers are added to the soil or sprayed on them. Manure, which is actually animal waste is a fertiliser too.

9. Gingko Biloba which dates to about 250 million years ago is the oldest living tree species in the world.

10. Cabbage has 91% water content.

11. There are more than 300,000 plant species identified till date and the list is constantly expanding.

12. Plant matter which settles down at the base of water bodies like swamps etc. can turn into coal through a process is known as metamorphosis.

13. Plants convert carbon dioxide, water and minerals into food when they use energy from sunlight and this process is known as photosynthesis.

14. Oak trees do not produce acorns until they become 50 years old.

15. The African tree, Baobab can store 1000 to 120,000 litres of water in its tree trunk.

16. Lightning is known to strike oak trees more than any other tree.

17. A cluster of bananas is known as a hand and consists of 10 to 20 bananas which are known as fingers.

18. Elephant grass found in Africa is named so because it can grow up to 4.5 metres, which is high enough to hide an elephant in it.

19. Your potato fries will be healthier if the skin is left on it as all the nutrients are in its skin.

20. Bananas contain a natural chemical that makes people feel happy.

21. Apples, onions and potatoes have the same taste. Test this by closing your nose while eating them.

22. The country Brazil is named after a tree

23. An average-sized tree can provide wood enough to make 170000 pencils.

24. Rafflesia grows over three feet in diameter and is the largest flower in the world.

25. Avocados and tomatoes are actually fruits.

26. Algae and mushrooms are not plants but have their own kingdom.

27. About 600 species of carnivorous plants eat small animals and insects too.

28. More than 20% of the world's oxygen supply is produced by the Amazon Rainforest.

29. Baseball bats are created from the Hickory tree while cricket bats from Willow trees.

30. Onions contain sulphuric acid which causes tears when we cut them. The tears produced is how the body washes it away from the eyes.

31. A carnivorous plant in the Philippines is capable of devouring a full-grown rat alive.

32. Around 70000 plant species are being utilized all over the world for medicines.

33. Plants can be used as natural dyes. For example, tea bags or walnut juice can be used to colour cloth.

34. Chemicals released from freshly-cut grass can be highly effective to relieve stress.

35. England's Alnwick Garden has The Poison Garden that is filled with plants which can kill you.

36. All teas, white, black and green, come from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis, only the processing methods are different.

37. Plant roots are covered with root hairs that are used to absorb minerals and water.

38. Onions contain a mild antibiotic which can fight infections, relieves itching, soothes burns and is useful against bee stings too.

39. There are no flower species that are completely black in colour nor has anyone been able to develop it.

40. 96% of raw cucumber and 84% of a raw apple is water.

41. The drug Quinine is obtained from the dried bark of a South-American native tree.

42. Snapdragon flowers resemble a dragon and its mouth can open and close when it is squeezed from its sides.

43. Strawberry is the only fruit that has seeds on the outside. It has about an average of 200 seeds.
The exciting plant kingdom is a wonderful place to spend time with, whether you are a child or an adult. It surely makes for some interesting conversation with kids as you ply them with fun facts about plants.

Also Read: Earth Facts for Kids

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The amazing world of plants is filled with exciting and fun facts that are waiting to be explored. If you are keen to fire your child's imagination with interesting information, get ready to get surprised by plants facts even you aren't aware of. Heard about weird species like Venus flytrap or poison ivy?

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Week 3: Finish all slides with information and once done with that edit the slide in a minimalistic way.

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Indoor plants don't just look good, they make us feel good mentally and physically, too.

Words by The Sill
Common Care Questions Next Article
Indoor plants don't just look good, they make us feel good mentally and physically, too.

Studies have shown indoor plants:

Boost mood, productivity, concentration and creativity

Reduce stress, fatigue, sore throats and colds

Clean indoor air by absorbing toxins, increasing humidity and producing oxygen

Add life to a sterile office, give privacy and reduce noise levels

Are therapeutic and cheaper than a therapist

It's true when we say plants make people happy.

Plants Against Pollution

Pollution levels on the planet earth are on the rise. If you live in a busy, dense city, you encounter pollution everyday. It wreaks havoc on our skin, our hair and most of all, the air we breathe. Pollution is not just outside. It's in the places we call 'work' and 'home'.

Sick Building Syndrome is a term used to describe symptoms experienced by otherwise healthy people working in large commercial buildings -- think sudden allergies; irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat; headache, dizziness, and fatigue; respiratory and sinus congestion; and nervous system disorders. In 1989, Dr. Bill Wolverton, a leading scientist in NASA's Clean Air Study revealed, "when the building occupants are away for a given time, the symptoms usually diminish, only to recur upon re-entry into the building."

The cause? Indoor air pollution. Indoor air pollution is generally a consequence of toxic emissions from synthetic building materials, airborne mold, viruses, and pollutants, along with energy efficient construction, like making spaces as airtight as possible, which reduces the air circulation. These contributors release toxin emissions such as benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene and toluene.

Gross, right?

It's not just big commercial buildings either. These compounds can be found in almost every home. Not great news when the Environmental Protection Agency estimates Americans spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors.

Most wall paints, rubbers, vinyl, laminates, computer parts and plastics all break down over time and release compounds into the air we breathe. The good news is, we can improve our indoor air quality with plants. Plants absorb harmful toxins, breaking them down into gentle byproducts, and storing them in their soil to use later for food.

Back to Nature

When you feel a little low, it's amazing how a walk in the park can do wonders. That's because when we get in touch with nature, we reduce mental fatigue and stress, while increasing relaxation and self-esteem. Even brief exposure to nature has been shown to make us more altruistic and cooperative. This study shows touching real foliage elicits an unconscious calming effect. Other studies like the lean vs green study show where indoor plants are present, work performance increases, staff well-being improves and employees take less sick days.

We are only beginning to understand the impact indoor air quality has on our mental health and work performance, but so far, the introduction of indoor plants to improve indoor air and reduce pollution points to positive outcomes.

Plants for Purification

Here are some of our favorite air-purifying plants,

Snake Plant

This no-fuss tropical plant has thin, upright leaves with irregular banding that resembles the skin of a reptile. Its adaptations for surviving drought make it a suitable plant choice for anyone, anywhere. Snake Plants have been shown to filter benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene and toluene.

Pothos

Nicknamed the "cubicle plant" at our office, the Pothos is our go-to for brown-thumbed customers with less than ideal conditions. Like the similar-looking Philodendron, the Pothos's trailing vines can grow to over 10 feet long. The Pothos has been shown to filter benzene, formaldehyde, xylene and toluene.

Rubber Plant

A popular houseplant, this variety of ficus has thick upright stems with glossy, oversized leaves that can store water in case of drought. They prefer bright to moderate indirect light. Rubber Plants have been shown to filter formaldehyde.

ZZ plant

A ZZ Plant is a spectacular choice for any low-light environment. They are extremely dry-tolerant and low maintenance. In addition, the plant meaning of ZZ is prosperity and friendship, making it a gift for the plant lover in your life.

Bird's Nest Fern

The Bird's Nest Fern is characterized by ripple-edged fronds that grow out of a nest-like crown. It makes for a lovely hanging plant indoor. They thrive in indirect light and a humid environment. Ferns have been shown to filter formaldehyde, xylene and toluene.

Philodendron

In the right indoor conditions, the Philodendron's heart-shaped leaves and trailing vines can trail to over 10 feet long, making it the perfect plant for a high shelf. Did we mention it has a reputation of being one of the easiest houseplants to grow? Philodendrons have been shown to filter formaldehyde.

With air-purifying in mind, we hope you'll make any one of these plants an addition to your home or office.

Authors Note

When NASA needed a cheap, easy way to filter the air on space stations - they chose the most common houseplants at the time to test. Reporters then wrote about the NASA study, but misinterpreted it as 'these are the only plants that filter the air' instead of 'all plants filter the air, but these are the only plants NASA had the time and budget to test'. We encourage you to bring all different varieties of plants into your living spaces to improve air quality.

For more information, check out NASA's Clean Air Study and Dr. B.C. "Bill" Wolverton's "How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 Houseplants That Purify Your Home or Office".

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Words by The Sill Common Care Questions Next Article Indoor plants don't just look good, they make us feel good mentally and physically, too.

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Week 2: Start working on slide detailing plant information in a fun and engaging way.

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Week 1: Research how to grow plants

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(Growing plants takes a HUGE amount of time so for this project I will just be writing down the process of what happened with some plants I grew months ago. I don't wanna risk planting the seeds now only to find out barely anything is happening and have my process sound boring.)

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4. Write down process and in between can explain the benefits of growing plants

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4. Write down process and in between can explain the benefits of growing plants

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2. Research the steps on how to grow plants in the most efficient way

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2. Research the steps on how to grow plants in the most efficient way

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1. Research the process of how plants grow to better understand my project

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1. Research the process of how plants grow to better understand my project

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Growing plants by Jonathan Delgado

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Plants' lives may be as short as a few weeks or months, but they go through distinct changes as they grow, just as people do. The stages that plants go through are from seed to sprout, then through vegetative, budding, flowering, and ripening stages. Similarly, the nutritional needs of people and plants change as they grow. This graphic shows how a plant develops (in this case, a tomato) and highlights the changing nutrient needs for plants as they grow.

Sprout

Each seed contains a small parcel of nutrients that is all they need to germinate and begin growing their first pair of leaves.

Seedling

As plants' roots develop and spread, a boost of quickly absorbed, well-balanced nutrients fuels the rapid growth from spindly seedling to healthy plant.

Vegetative

Nitrogen is a key component of chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants, so it's the critical nutrient when their energy is focused on growing stalks and foliage.

Budding

Phosphorus is in extra high demand at the start of a plant's reproductive cycle, the transition from growing leaves to forming buds.

Flowering

Potassium plays a primary role in producing and transporting the sugars and starches plants use up as they develop healthy flowers and fruit.

Ripening

When flowers and fruit are verging on full maturity, they need a week or two of just water without nutrients, a process known as "flushing," so they can use up all the nutrients they have already absorbed.

Protect Your Plant Growth

During the stages of plant growth, you can focus on getting the best results at the end of the season by utilizing an arsenal of tools to defend your plants against pests and diseases.

Between the stages of vegetation and ripening, your plants might be attractive to different pests. Put our Safer® Brand 3-in-1 Ready to Use Garden Spray into action during these stages. Not only does this spray control fungus and disease, but it kills insects on contact. It's safe to use on flowers, fruits, trees, and other vegetation.

Or, you can use our Safer® Brand Ready to Use Fungicide, which will kill insects at any stage of life (eggs, larvae, and adults), plus prevents and eliminates black spot, mildew, and rust. You can use this convenient spray on flowers, fruits, trees, shrubs, and house plants.

It's important to pay attention to the ripening stage of your plants, as you don't want ready-to-harvest vegetables to get sabotaged in the last growth stage! When you start to see your fruit and vegetables appear, you can apply some Safer® Brand Insect Killing Soap, which will kill soft bodied insects on contact. This product can be used safely up until the day of harvest.

The State of Your Plants

What stage of growth is your favorite crop at right now? We'd love to see how your plants are doing, so send us a picture at the Safer® Brand Facebook page, where you can interact with the organic growth community. Also, be sure to subscribe to the Safer® Brand E-Newsletter for ideas on using your favorite OMRI Listed® products and other helpful articles about gardening and lawn care.

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how many stages of plant growth are there

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Plants' lives may be as short as a few weeks or months, but they go through distinct changes as they grow, just as people do. The stages that plants go through are from seed to sprout, then through vegetative, budding, flowering, and ripening stag

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Here are the basics in 10 steps.

Seed-starting containers should be clean, measure at least 2-3 inches deep and have drainage holes. They can be plastic pots, cell packs, peat pots, plastic flats, yogurt cups, even eggshells. As long as they are clean (soak in a 9 parts water to one part household bleach for 10 minutes), the options are endless. You can also buy seed-starting kits, but don't invest a lot of money until you're sure you'll be starting seeds every year. If you start seeds in very small containers or plastic flats, you'll need to transplant seedlings into slightly larger pots once they have their first set of true leaves. Keep in mind that flats and pots take up room, so make sure you have enough sunny space for all the seedlings you start.

2. Start with quality soil.
Sow seeds in sterile, seed-starting mix or potting soil available in nurseries and garden centers. Don't use garden soil, it's too heavy, contains weeds seeds, and possibly, disease organisms. Wet the soil with warm water before filling seed-starting containers.

3. Plant at the proper depth.
You'll find the proper planting depth on the seed packet. The general rule of thumb is to cover seeds with soil equal to three times their thickness - but be sure to read the seed packet planting instructions carefully. Some seeds, including certain lettuces and snapdragons, need light to germinate and should rest on the soil surface but still be in good contact with moist soil. Gentle tamping after sowing will help. After planting your seeds, use a spray bottle to wet the soil again.

4. Water wisely.
Always use room-temperature water. Let chlorinated water sit overnight so chlorine can dissipate or use distilled water. Avoid using softened water. It's important to keep soil consistently moist, but avoid overwatering, which promotes diseases, that can kill seedlings. Try not to splash water on leaves. An easy way to avoid this - as well as overwatering - is to dip base of your containers in water and allow the soil to absorb moisture from the bottom until moist. Some seed-starting kits supply a wicking mat that conducts water from a reservoir to dry soil. This may be the most goof-proof method of watering seedlings but you still have to be careful that the soil doesn't stay too wet. Whatever you do, don't miss a watering and let seeds or seedlings dry out. It's a death sentence.

5. Maintain consistent moisture.
Prior to germination, cover your container to help trap moisture inside. Seed-starting kits typically come with a plastic cover. You can also use a plastic bag, but it should be supported so it doesn't lay flat on the soil. Remove covers as soon as seeds sprout. Once seedlings are growing, reduce watering so soil partially drys, but don't let them wilt.

6. Keep soil warm.
Seeds need warm soil to germinate. They germinate slower, or not at all, in soils that are too cool. Most seeds will germinate at around 78°F. Waterproof heating mats, designed specifically for germinating seeds, keep soil at a constant temperature. You can buy them in most nurseries and garden centers. Or, you can place seed trays on top of a refrigerator or other warm appliance until seeds sprout. After germination, air temperature should be slightly below 70°F. Seedlings can withstand air temperature as low as 50°F as long as soil temperature remains 65-70°F.

7. Fertilize.
Start feeding your seedlings after they develop their second set of true leaves, applying a half-strength liquid fertilizer weekly. Apply it gently so seedlings are not dislodged from the soil. After four weeks, apply full-strength liquid fertilizer every other week until transplanting.

8. Give seedlings enough light.
Not enough light leads to leggy, tall seedlings that will struggle once transplanted outdoors. In mild winter areas, you can grow stocky seedlings in a bright south-facing window. Farther north, even a south-facing window may not provide enough light, especially in the middle of winter. Ideally, seedlings need 14-16 hours of direct light per day for healthiest growth. If seedlings begin bending toward the window, that's a sure sign they are not getting enough light. Simply turning the pots won't be enough - you may need to supply artificial lighting. Nurseries and mail order seed catalogs can provide lighting kits. Follow instructions carefully.

9. Circulate the air.
Circulating air helps prevents disease and encourages the development of strong stems. Run a gentle fan near seedlings to create air movement. Keep the fan a distance away from the seedlings to avoid blasting them directly.

10. Harden off seedlings before transplanting outdoors.
Before moving seedlings outdoors, they need to be acclimatized to their new, harsher surroundings. This procedure is called "hardening off." Click here to learn more.

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How to Grow Plants From Seeds Step by Step

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Here are the basics in 10 steps. Seed-starting containers should be clean, measure at least 2-3 inches deep and have drainage holes. They can be plastic pots, cell packs, peat pots, plastic flats, yogurt cups, even eggshells. As long as they are clean (soak in a 9 parts water to one part household bleach for 10 minutes), the options are endless.

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This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014.

There are 5 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

Planting seedlings or young plants in the soil requires the right mixture of soil, sun, and water. Plants vary greatly in their requirements for temperature, sunlight, and water. Along with following the instructions below, always be sure to read the label on the plant thoroughly to ensure you are supporting it adequately. Anyone can have a green thumb by following just a few simple directions!

Things You'll Need

About This Article

This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014.

If you want to plant a seedling or a young plant, research the variety you're growing to ensure you know the conditions it prefers. Choose a spot where the plant will get the sunlight, water, and soil type that it needs. Once you've selected the location, dig a hole that's the same depth as the root ball and twice as wide. Sprinkle compost in the hole, then place the roots of the plant in the hole and fill it in with dirt. Mulch around the plant with leaf mulch or straw to help stabilize it, then water the area. To learn tips from our horticulture reviewer on how to plant in a pot, keep reading!

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 10,767 times.

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This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014.