Stem
Science: Year 3 & 4 National Curriculum, topic 1.2.3
The Stem of a Plant
The main parts of a flowering plant are the roots, the stem, the leaves and the flowers. The stem connects the roots to the rest of the plant.
Stiff stems give support
- The stem is usually stiff to give the plant support.
- Support means it holds the plant up.
- The trunk of a tree is its stem.
Travelling up the stem
- Nutrients and water travel through the stem.
- Nutrients and water travel from the roots to the other parts of the plant.
Water through a stem experiment
- You can see how water travels through a plant.
- Use a plant like a celery plant.
- Place the bottom end in water that has food colouring added.
- After a while, you can see the coloured water has moved up the plant stem.
- The ends of the celery plant will become coloured.
Flexible stems
- Some plants have flexible stems.
- Flexible means bendy.
- Plants with flexible stems often grow around other plants or solid things for support.
- Runner beans are an example of a plant with flexible stems.
Test yourself on Stem
Where do you find the stem of a plant?
Which part of the tree would you expect to find the stem?