Plants have developed special adaptations that allow them to survive in different environments. These adaptations include physical features of the roots, leaves, and stems. For example, lily pads have roots that grow deep into the water, cacti have thick stems to store water, and ivy uses suction cup stems to cling to surfaces. Certain root structures also serve as adaptations, such as taproots that burrow deep underground or fibrous roots that spread close to the surface. These various adaptations allow plants to thrive in their particular environments, whether wet, dry, hot, or cold.

1. Plant Survival

2. The Earth can be very, very cold …

3. … or it can be very, very hot.

4. Some climates are very, very wet…

5. … while some climates are very, very dry.

6. So how do plants survive in their environment?

7. They adapt.

8. Plants are created with special features …

9. … that allow them to survive in their environments.

10. These special features are called …

11. ADAPTATIONS

12. Lily pads have roots that grow deep into the water.

13. Would you believe this is a lily pad root?

14. Support roots …

15. … help trees that grow in very wet areas like the Everglades.

16. Cactus grow in desert like areas.

17. Their stems are very thick so they can store water for long periods of time.

18. Ivy clings to walls, trees, and other plants near it.

19. Special suction cup stems allow the ivy to stick to anything near it.

20. Grass, like the kind in your backyard has thin roots that grow close to the surface.

21. These are called fibrous roots.

22. Dandelions have a root that goes very deep into the soil. This is why it is so difficult to pull dandelions from the ground.

23. These deep roots are called taproots.

24. Roots Leaves Stems Plant Behaviors

25. … can all be adapted to live in different environments and help plants survive.