FlowerMakes seeds; after pollination part of it becomes the fruit.
LeafMakes food from sunlight, water and air.
StemHolds up the leaves and flowers and carries water and food.
Root (taproot)The main root; it anchors the plant and grows down deep.
Above the ground 5
NodeWhere leaves, buds and flowers join the stem.
InternodeThe length of stem between two nodes.
BudAn undeveloped shoot that grows into leaves or flowers.
FruitDevelops from the flower and holds the seeds.
SeedContains a baby plant that can grow into a new one.
Below the ground 3
Lateral rootSide roots that spread through the soil.
Root hairsTiny outgrowths that soak up most of the water and minerals.
Root capProtects the root tip as it pushes through soil.
Shoot system and root system 2
Shoot systemStem, leaves, buds, flowers and fruit together.
Root systemAnchors the plant and takes in water and minerals.
How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-26. (1) OpenStax Biology 2e, 30.1 The Plant Body, https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/30-1-the-plant-body : two organ systems, the shoot system above ground (leaves and stems; flowers and fruits) and the root system below. 30.2 Stems, https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/30-2-stems : nodes, the points where leaves, aerial roots and flowers attach, and internodes, the stem between two nodes; apical and axillary buds. 30.3 Roots, https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/30-3-roots : a taproot system has a main root with many smaller lateral roots; root hairs increase the surface for absorbing water and minerals; the root cap protects the root tip. (2) Oregon State University Extension, Vegetative plant parts, https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/em-9904-vegetative-plant-parts : primary root, root cap and root hairs, nodes where buds are located, internodes between two nodes, buds as undeveloped shoots from which leaves or flower parts grow, leaf blade and petiole, fibrous root systems. Licence: own work
The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-26. Licence: own work
How it works
This plant diagram labeled part by part is one bean plant, above and below the soil. Younger classes start with the 4 main parts; all 14 add the node, bud, fruit, seeds, root hairs and the two systems.
Read the full guide
The main parts of a plant
The roots hold the plant in the ground and take in water. The stem holds it up and carries water and food. The leaves make food from sunlight, and the flower makes seeds, which grow inside the fruit, here a bean pod.
Shoot system and root system
Everything above the ground is the shoot system: stem, leaves, buds, flowers and fruit. Everything below is the root system: the taproot, its side roots and the fine root hairs near each tip.
Nodes are where leaves join the stem; the bare stretch between two nodes is an internode.
Questions and answers
What are the three main parts of a plant?
Roots, stem and leaves. Flowering plants add a fourth, the flower, which is why the simple set here asks for four.
What do the parts of a plant do?
Roots anchor the plant and take in water and minerals. The stem carries them up. Leaves make food from sunlight. Flowers make seeds, and the fruit protects the seeds.
What are root hairs?
Tiny outgrowths near the tip of each root, too small to see well without a lens. They give the root far more surface, so it can soak up more water and minerals.