Mochi IsleWhat do plants need to grow?
In short: Plants need sunlight, water, air and nutrients from the soil, plus the right temperature. Leaves use sunlight to turn water and carbon dioxide from the air into food, giving off oxygen. This is called photosynthesis.
How it works
Plants cannot go and find food the way animals do, so they make their own. Their leaves contain a green substance called chlorophyll that captures energy from sunlight.
Roots draw water from the soil, leaves take in carbon dioxide from the air, and sunlight provides the energy to turn them into sugar, which the plant uses to grow, make leaves and flower. The leftover oxygen goes back into the air; much of the oxygen we breathe comes from plants and tiny ocean algae doing this.
Soil also provides nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, a bit like the minerals in our food. Without water a plant wilts; without light its leaves turn yellow and its stems grow thin and spindly.
Where to see it in New Zealand
In New Zealand forests, tall trees block much of the sunlight, and the ferns and mosses on the forest floor are well suited to the shade. New Zealand's pastures grow well because many areas get plenty of rain and sunshine.
Try it together
Take two pots of the same seedlings. Put one on a sunny windowsill and the other inside a cupboard, and water both regularly. After a week or two, compare their colour and height. The cupboard plant may grow taller, but pale and floppy.
Kids also ask
Do plants breathe at night too?
Yes. Plants don't have lungs, but their cells respire day and night, taking in oxygen and giving off carbon dioxide. In bright daylight, though, photosynthesis releases far more oxygen than respiration uses.
Why are most leaves green?
Chlorophyll mostly absorbs red and blue light and reflects green light, so the leaves look green to us.
In the game, “What plants need” is a nature card from the Living things set, and it can turn up on any island.
Your child finds this card by reaching the right place or meeting the right weather on the island, and lights it up by answering the question on the back. Tap the button below and the game shows your child which island it is on and how to find it. Mochi Isle is a browser learning game for ages 5 to 18; the main island and the daily lesson are free.
Find “What plants need” on the island ↗ All cards in the Living things set