A plant produced from seed takes several years to flower for the first time, while a plant of the same specie…

Question

A plant produced from seed takes several years to flower for the first time, while a plant of the same species grown by vegetative propagation flowers within a year. What explains this difference?

Accepted Answer

## Model Answer Plants produced from seeds must first complete a long juvenile phase before they can flower. In contrast, plants grown by vegetative propagation are developed from mature parent tissue that has already passed this juvenile stage, so they can bear flowers and fruits **earlier** than seed-grown plants. *Source: Chapter 7, Section 7.2.5 – Vegetative Propagation* --- ## Explanation The key phrase from the textbook is: *"Plants raised by vegetative propagation can bear flowers and fruits earlier than those produced from seeds."* Examiners expect you to explain **why** — the vegetative part comes from a mature plant, so it skips the juvenile/seedling phase. Mention both sides: seed-grown = long juvenile phase; vegetatively propagated = mature tissue, no juvenile phase. Two clear points = 2 marks.

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