Vines · Rainforest ValleyScience for kids

Do vines steal food from the trees they climb?

In short: Usually not. Vines have long, thin stems that can't stand up alone, so they climb other plants to reach sunlight. They have their own green leaves and make their own food, so most vines are not parasites, which steal nutrients from other plants.

How it works

In a forest, the tall canopy blocks most of the sunlight. Vines have a clever shortcut: instead of spending energy on a thick trunk, they grow long, bendy stems and use other plants as ladders, reaching the light much faster.

Vines have all sorts of climbing tools. Some coil tendrils around twigs like tiny springs. Some twist their whole stem round and round a support. Some have hooks that catch on other plants, and others grow little roots that stick to bark.

Most vines aren't parasites. A typical vine's roots are in the ground, where it gets its own water, and its leaves make its own food; it's just borrowing a ladder. A few vines are parasites, though: dodder pushes into another plant and steals its food. And even a harmless vine can weigh down or shade a tree if it grows too thick.

Where to see it in New Zealand

New Zealand forests have plenty of native climbers: supplejack (kareao), whose black stems tangle through the bush; native clematis (puawānanga), covered in white flowers in spring; and bush lawyer (tātarāmoa), whose hooked prickles grab passing clothes.

Try it together

Look for climbing plants near you, such as beans, passionfruit, morning glory or ivy. Do they use tendrils, twisting stems or little sticky roots? Or plant a bean in a pot beside a stick, and check each day to see how it climbs.

Kids also ask

Can vines harm trees?

Usually not. But if vines grow too thick and heavy, they can break branches and block light. In New Zealand, an introduced clematis called old man's beard can smother whole trees, so it's treated as a pest weed.

Do vines all twist the same way?

Each kind of twining vine usually twists in its own fixed direction, some clockwise and some anticlockwise. Next time you find one, look down from above and see which way it turns.

In the game, “Vines” is a nature card on Rainforest Valley.

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 “Vines” on the island ↗ All cards from Rainforest Valley