Xylem facts for kids

Xylem is a special kind of plant tissue found in vascular plants, which are plants that have a system for carrying water and nutrients. Think of xylem as the plant's plumbing system! Its cells have strong, thick walls. After these cells form, they die, but they stay in place to create the wood you see in the middle of a tree. These dead cells are like hollow, stiff pipes.

Xylem cells are long and narrow, like pipes, and they carry water

When a tree is cut across, the xylem cells can be seen under a microscope. When cut that way, they look like small circles.

What is Xylem's Job?

Xylem is one of two main tissues that help plants move important things around. It carries water and minerals that the plant gets from its roots. Xylem runs all the way from the roots up through the stems and into the leaves.

The other transport tissue is called phloem. Phloem carries energy, like sugar, and other chemicals from the leaves to all other parts of the plant. So, xylem brings water up, and phloem moves food around!

How Water Moves in Xylem

Xylem cells are found in every part of a plant: in the stems, roots, and leaves. Water is pulled up through the xylem, even against gravity! This happens because of a process called transpiration. Transpiration is when water evaporates from the leaves, which creates a pulling force that draws more water up from the roots. It's like sipping water through a straw!

Parts of Xylem

Xylem is made up of four main types of cells:

• Xylem parenchyma: These are living cells with thin walls.
• Xylem fibres: These cells help support the plant.
• Tracheids: These are long, thin cells that help carry water.
• Xylem vessels: These are wider tubes that also carry water.

Most of these cells are dead and have very thick walls, which makes them strong and perfect for carrying water.

Images for kids

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  Photos showing xylem elements in the shoot of a fig tree (Ficus alba): crushed in hydrochloric acid, between slides and cover slips

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  A banded tube from the late Silurian/early Devonian. The bands are difficult to see on this specimen, as an opaque carbonaceous coating conceals much of the tube. Bands are just visible in places on the left half of the image – click on the image for a larger view. Scale bar: 20 μm

See also

In Spanish: Xilema para niños