eli5: Why can some plans grow just in water, but if you put to much water into a plant bowl it will die?

Question

eli5: Why can some plans grow just in water, but if you put to much water into a plant bowl it will die?

In: 3

Answer 1

One of the ways that plants die from over-watering is from the roots drowning. You might not think that plant roots need oxygen, but plants don’t have lungs or blood to move oxygen around and the roots don’t perform any photosynthesis. The stagnant water pockets around the roots don’t allow oxygen to reach the roots and they die. Hydroponics systems generally aerate the water if the roots must be fully submerged, which is why land plants can be grown there but not in your flowerpot.