Side-By-Side Comparison to Non-parasitic Plants

Finally, here's an easy to read list of many SIMILARITIES and DIFFERENCES between parasitic plants and non-parasitic plants.

• Both are in the Kingdom Plantae.


• Both parasitic and non-parasitic plants need water and nutrients in order to survive.


• Non-parasitic plants gain their nutrients and water by absorbing them through their root systems, and while some parasites are also capable of doing this, most parasites depend on infiltrating a hosts vascular tissue in order to obtain their water and nutrients, something a regular plant does not do.


• All regular plants perform photosynthesis while parasites do not, except for those in the category "hemiparasites."


• Parasitic and non-parasitic plants have a shoot and root system.


• Parasitic roots grow towards the host, while regular plants have roots that grow downward due to gravitropism.


• Only parasitic plants develop a haustorium.


• Both parasitic plants and non-parasitic plants have vascular tissue known as xylem and phloem.


• Parasitic plant seeds can germinate on top/attached to their host while non-parasitic plants have seeds that germinate in soil, water, or some other medium. Keep in mind, however, some parasitic plants do germinate in the soil.


• In plain terms, parasitic plants are the "predator" while the non-parasitic plants on their "prey."