As you’ve seen, the members of the plant kingdom exhibit
an enormous diversity of form. Plants have colonized almost every corner of the
earth—including some of the most hostile environments. Consider the driest of
deserts, with perhaps a few cacti and other succulents enduring the relentless sun and
drying winds. All deserts get at least some rainfall, and after a rainstorm, the desert
literally comes alive, with a flush of wildflowers and other native plants in a hurry to
make use of that rain, to grow and reproduce before the heat and drought return. Many plants have an amazing, almost uncanny, ability to remain in a
dormant state until favorable conditions arise—and then react quickly to take
advantage of those conditions when they do arrive. Some seeds, for example, can pass
unharmed through the digestive tracts of birds, to eventually be deposited, fertilizer and
all. And many fruit trees must undergo a certain amount of chilling before they’ll
break dormancy in the spring.
Plants are some of the first organisms to colonize ravaged
landscapes—witness the tenacity of plants colonizing sterile lava fields after a
volcanic eruption. We gardeners, of course, know all too well about some plants’
ability to survive, as we struggle to control the weeds so intent on taking over our
garden. Next time you’ve just pulled a weed, consider for a moment the wonder of a
plant that can so quickly reclaim a recently weeded bed!
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