How do plants drink water?

Plants drink through their roots. Tiny root hairs take in water from the soil, then tubes called xylem carry it up the stem to the leaves. The lift comes mostly from water leaving the leaves, which pulls more water upward behind it.

That pull works because water is clingy at a tiny scale. Its molecules hold together, so a tug at the leaf can draw a long line of water from below. A sunflower or tree can move a surprising amount this way without any heart or pump.