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Most flowering plants grow from seeds! 2

Stage 1: Seed Stage 2: Growth Stage 3: Flowering Plant Stage 4: Fruiting Plant 3

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Seed Germinating Growth: Seedling Growth: Young Plant Flowering Plant (Adult Plant) Flowering Plant Pollination Fruiting Plant After pollination seeds form inside flowers Fruiting Plant Ripened (Ripe) Fruit 5

Stage 1: Seed Germinate: a seed begins to grow When a seed has enough air, and temperature is right, a seed takes in water and starts to grow. Click on photo to see video 6

Stage 1: Seed The first stage of plant growth from a seed to a seedling. 7

Stage 2: Growth Seedling A very young plant grown from a seed. A very young plant grown from a seed. The 2 nd stage of a flowering plant’s life cycle is growth. The plant grows from a seedling to young plant. 8

Stage 2: Growth A seedling starts to grow leaves and begins to make its own food. As the plant grows more leaves, there will be less need for the cotyledons. The cotyledons will eventually be shed. (Think of cotyledons as the plant version of baby teeth.) 9

Stage Two: Growth A young plant has more leaves than a seedling, so it makes its own food through photosynthesis. A young plant is larger and has longer, stronger stems and roots than a seedling. 10

Stage 2: Growth Tomato SeedlingYoung Tomato Plant Adult Flowering Tomato Plant Plant enters stage 3 of it’s life cycle! 11

Stage 3: Flowering Plant Now that the plant has flowers, it can reproduce itself through pollination. Plant grow flowers to attract pollinators. Flowering tomato plant. 12

Stage 3: Flowering Plant Pollination must happen for a plant to develop into a fruiting plant. Self Pollination The pollen moves from the stamen to the pistil within the same flower. Cross-pollination The pollen moves from the stamen of one flower to the pistil of a different flower. 13

This plant is growing from an adult flowering plant to the adult fruiting plant stage of it’s life cycle through the process of pollination! 14

Stage 4: Fruiting Plant The bottom of pistil grows into a fruit with seeds inside. The bottom of pistil grows into a fruit with seeds inside. 15

1.Seed 2.Growth 3.Flowering Plant 4.Fruit Plant SeedlingYoung Plant Adult Plant Flowers Growing GerminationSeedling Plant with Developing FruitPlant with Ripe Fruit Flowering PlantPollination Flowers Developing into Fruit 16