What is stomata?

Stomata are tiny windows on leaves that help plants breathe and drink.

Imagine you're wearing a mask all day, you'd get pretty tired, right? Well, plants need to take in air and let out carbon dioxide, just like we do. That’s where stomata come in! They’re like little doors that open and close on the surface of leaves.

Stomata are made up of two special cells called guard cells. These guard cells can swell up or shrink down, which makes the window either open or closed, just like a door you can push or pull.

When it's sunny outside, the stomata stay open so the plant can take in carbon dioxide to make food through photosynthesis. But when it gets dark or too dry, they shut tight to keep the water inside the plant from escaping, like closing a window on a cold day!

Sometimes you might see little dots on leaves, those are stomata! They're working hard every day so plants can grow and stay healthy.