The easiest thing to think of, when you’re trying to understand a tuber, is the potato. The potato is a tuber that I’m sure we’re all familiar with. A tuber has leathery skin and lots of eyes with no protective covering, or basal plate. All of those eyes are the growing points where the plants will emerge.
There are two types of tubers, stem tubers and root tubers.
Stem tubers are true tubers and generally grow their storage units from the sides of rhizomes or stolons. Their cell structure is a stem. Stem tubers are usually oblong or somewhat rounded with visible nodes. They are often near the top of the soil.
Stem tubers that develop underground are often temporary, and then used to produce young plants. Stem tubers that develop storage units above the ground will drop them to reproduce. A couple examples of stem tubers are the tuberous begonia and cyclamen.
Root tubers, or tuberous soft roots, are simply underground stems. They grow horizontally just below the soil’s surface. They will continue to grow and creep along under the surface with lots and lots of growing points. They are quite similar to stem tubers with a few differences. Their cell structure is of root. Another difference is that the end that is attached to the parent has crown tissue where the foliage and stems grow. The roots grow at the other end.
Root tubers live for two years, making them biennials, meaning It will live its first year as a tuber. The following year the tubers will grow foliage and flowers. After it is finished blooming, the mother plant will develop tubers as it dies in the fall. Examples of tuberous roots are day lilies, sweet potatoes, and dahlias
There are two types of tubers, stem tubers and root tubers.
Stem tubers are true tubers and generally grow their storage units from the sides of rhizomes or stolons. Their cell structure is a stem. Stem tubers are usually oblong or somewhat rounded with visible nodes. They are often near the top of the soil.
Stem tubers that develop underground are often temporary, and then used to produce young plants. Stem tubers that develop storage units above the ground will drop them to reproduce. A couple examples of stem tubers are the tuberous begonia and cyclamen.
Root tubers, or tuberous soft roots, are simply underground stems. They grow horizontally just below the soil’s surface. They will continue to grow and creep along under the surface with lots and lots of growing points. They are quite similar to stem tubers with a few differences. Their cell structure is of root. Another difference is that the end that is attached to the parent has crown tissue where the foliage and stems grow. The roots grow at the other end.
Root tubers live for two years, making them biennials, meaning It will live its first year as a tuber. The following year the tubers will grow foliage and flowers. After it is finished blooming, the mother plant will develop tubers as it dies in the fall. Examples of tuberous roots are day lilies, sweet potatoes, and dahlias