When you read information on seed packets and other garden related materials, you might come across the term “true leaves.”
If you are anything like me, you might be wondering what they hell that means and if there are fake leaves.
When seedlings sprout, often there are two-sets of leaves that form first. They look almost four-leaf clover like. A few days later a third single leaf will emerge that doesn’t look like the first two. That’s the first true leaf.
When the first true leaves emerge that is usually when you can start fertilizing, transplanting, thinning or doing whatever else you are going to do.
So that’s what true leaves mean figuratively and literally. Now can we come up with a better name for them – maybe third-leaf?! What would a better name be?
Grown up leaves!
hahaha. I like it!
characteristic leaves? as these are the first with the characteristics of the actual plant that is growing?
do the sprout leaves have a name other than sprout leaves?
Bringing in the mother of a toddler perspective here…. Big Boy Leaves? lol
I think how CJ called them characteristic leaves, or you could say like growth leaves or something that hints more to them being the first leaves as the plant is growing
Hahaha. I likes it.
The first two are called
cotyledons
It def makes an easier pic than an explanation.
I agree “Big Kid” leaves is pretty apt. I think the idea with calling them true leaves is that it TRULY is the leaves of the plant. Maybe we should call them Ah-Ha leaves because sometimes you look at them and go “Ah-Ha! That’s what I planted there!” because the true leaves actually look like what the plant is going to be.
That’s a fancy word. I call ’em seed leaves. 🙂
Take on me…
I’m smart like that…or just Googled it.
Ugghhh! I can’t wait to have my own place so that I can start my lil herb garden and some veggies! Totally unrelated to the topic here, except that I have not tried growing edibles yet and it sounds so fun reading your comments! I will have room soon, a whole balcony to myself! Yay!
Way to keep it on topic 😉 Can you get grow lights or something to grow indoors? How about just some sprouts or something?!!?
ha ha. Leave it to the scientists to already have names for them. The false leaves are cotyledons! Dicots or dicotyledons (beans, radish) have 2 and monocots (corn, grasses, lilies) have 1! : ) It is confusing.
You are so funny! I like how your mind works, Mike! To this day, no one I know can even properly pronounce cotyledon, aka. first set of leaves. 🙂 What the h!
Dicots 🙂
Bless you.
I wouldn’t even attempt to pronounce it.
No thanks. I’m full.
Adolescents?
Something…
dear friends,
its simpler than you think.
at the beginning, what you see come out (the first two “antennas”)
only help the newborn seedling to get organized.
(we call them “ko-til-eh-donnz”)
they are NOT leaves…not all green stuff is leaves you know..
only the next couple/single leaves (and the next to come)
will be formed as the plants “permanent” antennas i.e. leaves (till they grow old and fall)
and will actually supply the plant with sugars (photosynthesis).
cheers!!thus- TRUE LEAVES
Thanks for the clarification, this is what I assumed a “true leaf” was…but this year is my first year to attempt to grow veggies so you can imagine how many things need clarification lol
Okay, it took me a bit but I think I understand what you’re saying. The first things that emerge out of the seed aren’t the plant’s leaves. They are the seed’s antennas for grabbing some energy from the sun. This energy helps the plant grow and its own leaves, the true leaves, emerge a few days later. What happens to the seed’s antennas? Do they fall off at some point? Transform into leaves?
They’re the ‘true leaves’ because they’re the first leaves with the typical leaf shape of the plant you’re growing, I’m not sure why that should be confusing.