One of the major differences between an animal and a plant is that an animal can move from place to place, while a plant is rooted to the spot where it grows. But there are some plants that can actually move from place to place in search of water!
The resurrection plant, a desert plant found in parts of the American West and the Near East, grows just like any other plant when there’s enough water around, sending roots into the ground and sporting green, fernlike leaves.
But when water is scarce, the resurrection plant pulls up its roots and dries up, becoming a ball of brown twigs that appear to be quite dead. This ball of twigs is carried along the ground by the wind, and may roam the desert for many years.
But when the plant finds water, it sinks roots into the wet ground, turns green, and begins to grow again! It’s called the resurrection plant because it appears to come back from the dead.
If the moisture in the soil dries up, the resurrection plant will pull up its roots and wander over and over again in search of water!
