Plant Sap

plants · how plants work · water

Watery highway. Sap travels through tiny tubes inside plants called xylem and phloem, moving water and food from the roots all the way up to the leaves and back down again.

Two different jobs. Xylem sap carries water and minerals up from the roots, while phloem sap carries sugary food that leaves make down to feed the rest of the plant.

Makes trees sweet. The sap in maple trees is full of sugar, which is why people boil it down to make delicious maple syrup.

Moves without a pump. Unlike blood, plant sap doesn't need a heart to move it, instead using pressure from roots and evaporation from leaves to keep things flowing.

Stays fresh year-round. Trees keep their sap flowing even in winter, though it moves much more slowly when it's cold outside.