« Back to Glossary Index

Hydrotropism is the growth response to water.

Tropism is a growth response in all or part of a plant due to an external stimulus. Hydrotropism in particular is in response to water (hydro-) and may be further divided as negative or positive hydrotropism.

Negative hydrotropism will cause the plant to move away from moisture, while positive hydrotropism – the most common form – will cause the plant to move towards moisture.

Hydrotropism is valuable in helping plants seek out wetter soils in areas where the soil is too dry (positive hydrotropism,) or avoiding soil that is too wet for the roots (negative hydrotropism.)

Related Articles:
  • How Plants Reach for the Sun: Phototropism
    One of the earliest questions in botany was how plants knew where the sun was, and how they grew towards the light. With more attention on the plant world, it was found that all plants - not just sunflowers - reached for the sun. This phenomenon is called phototropism, and in this HerbSpeak article, you will learn why plants experience phototropism, how it works, the effects of different types of light, and much more.
  • Can Plants Move? The Restless Life of Plants
    Watching grass grow might not sound exciting, but it’s quite incredible when you understand what’s going on. Learn about plant movement and just how much these sessile organisms move on the regular.
« Back to Glossary Index
Related Terms: