Nature is the greenest place of all! From towering forests and mossy rocks to tiny caterpillars and ocean kelp – discover the amazing green things that grow, live, and thrive in the natural world.
Green appears in almost every natural environment on Earth. Here's where to find it!
Forests are the ultimate home of green. From the bright green canopy to the dark green understory, every layer is packed with green life. The forest floor is carpeted with ferns, mosses, and seedlings.
The ocean is full of green! Sea lettuce, kelp, and phytoplankton turn coastal waters green. Rivers and ponds have green algae on the surface and green aquatic plants in the shallows.
Open grasslands are an ocean of green. Grass covers more of Earth's surface than any other plant. Meadows add wildflowers, clovers, and herbs to the mix – creating a rich mosaic of green.
Even deserts have green things! Cacti store water in their brilliant green stems. Succulents grow in dry rocky soils. After rare rains, the whole desert briefly turns green as dormant seeds germinate.
Tropical rainforests are the greenest ecosystems on Earth. Thousands of plant species compete for light, creating multiple layers of intense green. This is where you'll find the brightest green animals too.
Mountain slopes are covered in green meadows, forests, and alpine plants. Even near the snowline, tiny green mosses and lichens grow in rock cracks, making the most of brief warm seasons.
Trees are full of green things – not just their leaves! Here are the most common green things you'll find on and around trees.
The most obvious green thing on trees. Leaves are green because of chlorophyll, which captures sunlight for photosynthesis. Most trees drop their leaves in autumn when they break down the chlorophyll.
Moss often grows on the north-facing side of tree trunks (in the southern hemisphere, the south-facing side) where it stays moist and shaded. It creates a vivid green furry coating on bark.
Lichen is a partnership between algae and fungi. It grows in crusty green-grey patches on tree bark and branches. Lichen is incredibly slow-growing – some patches are hundreds of years old!
Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows on tree branches, absorbing water and nutrients. It stays green all year round even when the host tree has lost its leaves, making it very visible in winter.
The long green dangling things that fall from trees in spring are called catkins. They're the flower clusters of trees like oak, birch, and hazel – and they look like long fuzzy green worms!
Most fruits start green! Apples, pears, mangoes, avocados, and many others are green when unripe. The green comes from chlorophyll in the skin, which breaks down as the fruit ripens.
Tiny green seedlings sprout from seeds that fall from trees. Each one starts as a small green shoot with the plant's first leaves (called cotyledons) emerging from the soil.
Tree ferns are ancient plants that look like small palm trees with fern fronds at the top. They grow in moist forests and have been green for over 300 million years!
Green is the most dominant colour in the natural world – but why? Here's the science explained for kids!
Plants are green because of a chemical called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll absorbs red and blue light from the sun to make energy – but reflects green light back to our eyes. That's why we see green!
Animals that live in leafy, plant-filled environments often evolved green colouring over millions of years. Being green helps them blend in to avoid being eaten – or helps them sneak up on prey.
Tiny plant-like organisms called algae live in water. When conditions are right, they multiply rapidly and turn water green. Ocean algae is responsible for producing about half of all Earth's oxygen!
Human eyes are especially sensitive to green. We can distinguish more shades of green than any other colour. This evolved because our ancestors lived in green forests and needed to spot tiny details among leaves.
Green nature looks different depending on the time of year!
Spring is the greenest time! Fresh bright-green leaves burst out of bare branches. New grass shoots emerge. Baby animals appear in green meadows. The shade of green is light and lime-green – full of energy.
In summer, green deepens and darkens as leaves fully develop. Forests are a rich, dense green. Gardens are lush. Green vegetables are ready to harvest. It's the fullest, most saturated green of the year.
Green begins to fade as chlorophyll breaks down. Leaves turn yellow, orange, and red before falling. Evergreen trees stay green through the season, looking even greener against the autumn colours around them.
In winter, green belongs to the evergreens – pine, holly, ivy, and ferns. Moss stays green on rocks and walls. Christmas trees are green. In warmer climates, everything stays green right through winter.