Plant adaptations

Plants can’t get up and run from a fire or move into the shade if it gets too hot (most of the time they ARE in the shade!). They just have to come up with clever tricks (adaptations) that will help them survive the environment they are growing in, PLUS survive all the other weather Australia throws at them, like drought, floods, cyclones and heat waves! Australia’s environment has led to some pretty special plants that exist nowhere else in the world.

Video credit: On Demand News

Our nominations include adaptations to help plants survive in wet, places that don’t get much sunlight. We’re talking about rainforest environments like the one shown below.

There was only one nomination for this award. No other plant has been able to survive unchanged in its environment as long as this plant has. It seems to have developed the perfect adaptations for its canyon environment because we are talking 200 million years of survival! This plant is so old it has seen dinosaurs! In fact, you could even call it a Pine-osaur!

Listen to Episode 4 of the Branch Out podcast to learn more about the amazing Wollemi Pine.

1. Pretend you are hosting the Plant Adaptations Awards.

• Learn about the adaptations of carnivorous plants

• With a partner, act out giving an award to a carnivorous plant.

• What are they getting the award for? What are their cool adaptations?

• What will the carnivorous plant say in its thank you speech? How might it act?

2. Plant hunt

• Can you find any water-saving plants, sun-catching plants or fireproof plants at your school? 

• What type did you have the most of? Why do you think that might be?

3. Model plants after a bushfire

• Using playdough or clay and natural materials, model what happens after a bushfire.

• What do the fireproof plants do to recover?