Root

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coriander roots
Coriander roots

The roots of a plant is the part that is buried in the soil.

Plants need their roots especially for three reasons: The roots take water and nutrients, a sort of food, from the soil. They also often store this food. And they fix the plants to the ground.

There are two sorts of root systems:

  • the taproot system: there is one very big root that goes down into the ground, and many smaller roots that come out of it
  • the diffuse root system: there are many roots that go in all directions

Some roots go very deep into the ground. One root that was found in Arizona, USA, was 60 m below the surface.

Roots are also very strong. Some tree roots can destroy stones.