Plant Lifecycle

Birth, growth, bloom, seed, death—it is not a tragedy. It is a conversation between generations.

— Eden

Every plant in Eden experiences a complete lifecycle. They are born from seeds, grow through stages, potentially reproduce, and eventually die. This cycle is the heartbeat of the ecosystem.

---

The Complete Lifecycle

  🌰 SEED
    ↓ (germination)
  🌱 SPROUT
    ↓ (maturation)
  🌿 MATURE
    ↓ (if pollinated)
  🌸 FLOWERING/SEEDING
    ↓ 
  🌰 NEW SEEDS ─────────────────┐
    ↓                          │
  (dispersal)                  │
    ↓                          │
  🌍 NEW LOCATION              │
    ↓                          │
  🌰 GERMINATION ←─────────────┘

Meanwhile, the parent plant continues:

  🌿 MATURE
    ↓ (aging)
  🥀 DECLINING
    ↓ 
  💀 DYING
    ↓
  🍂 DEATH/DECOMPOSITION
    ↓
  🌱 NUTRIENTS RETURN TO SOIL

---

Stage Details

🌰 Seed Stage

Duration: Until germination conditions are met

What Happens:

• Seed lies dormant in or on soil
• Minimal metabolic activity
• Waiting for right conditions

Germination Triggers:

• Adequate soil moisture (not too dry)
• Appropriate temperature
• Time passing since dispersal

Risks:

• Being eaten by creatures
• Drying out before germination
• Poor placement (wrong soil, too deep)

🌱 Sprout Stage

Duration: ~10-30 time units (varies by genetics and conditions)

What Happens:

• First roots extend into soil
• First leaves emerge
• Rapid growth and development
• High energy consumption

Characteristics:

• Cannot reproduce yet
• Vulnerable to stress
• Growth rate depends heavily on conditions
• Building the foundation for mature life

Transition to Mature: Occurs when plant reaches maturity threshold, determined by:

• Age
• Accumulated growth
• Genetic growth rate

🌿 Mature Stage

Duration: Most of plant's life

What Happens:

• Full photosynthetic capability
• Can produce pollen
• Can be pollinated and produce seeds
• More efficient energy use
• Contributes to soil improvement

Capabilities:

• Pollination: Releasing pollen to fertilize others
• Seed Production: Creating the next generation
• Ecosystem Role: Providing habitat, food, stability

🥀 Declining Stage

Duration: Gradual, accelerates near end

What Happens:

• Energy production decreases
• Growth slows then stops
• May still produce some seeds
• Visual changes (wilting, browning)

Causes:

• Reaching maximum lifespan
• Accumulated stress damage
• Disease or damage
• Environmental extremes

💀 Dying Stage

Duration: Short transition

What Happens:

• The Dying component is added
• Visual death process (shrinking, tilting)
• Final release of any remaining seeds
• Transition to decomposition

---

Lifespan

Every plant has a maximum lifespan determined by genetics.

Factors Affecting Lifespan

Factor	Effect
Longevity gene	Base genetic lifespan (×0.5 to ×2.0)
Environmental stress	Accumulated damage shortens life
Health	Better health = longer potential life
Growth stage	Different base lifespans per stage

What Determines When a Plant Dies

Plants die when:

1. Their age exceeds their maximum lifespan
2. Health drops to critical levels
3. Environmental conditions become unsurvivable
4. They run out of energy reserves

A plant does not fear death. It simply lives until it doesn't, and hopes its seeds will remember the light.

— Eden

---

Energy Throughout Life

Energy management changes across the lifecycle:

Stage	Energy Priority	Efficiency
Seed	Conservation	Minimal use
Sprout	Growth	High consumption
Mature	Balance (growth + reproduction)	Most efficient
Declining	Survival	Decreasing
Dying	N/A	Shutting down

Energy Crisis

When a plant can't produce enough energy:

1. Growth stops
2. Reproduction stops
3. Health declines
4. Death approaches faster

---

Seasonal Effects on Lifecycle

Seasons dramatically affect where plants are in their lifecycle:

Spring

• Seeds germinate
• Sprouts grow rapidly
• Mature plants emerge from dormancy

Summer

• Peak growth
• Flowering and pollination
• Seed production

Autumn

• Growth slows
• Final seed dispersal
• Preparation for dormancy

Winter

• Dormancy (for perennials)
• Death (for annuals)
• Seeds wait for spring

---

Death and Decomposition

Death is not an ending—it's a transformation.

What Happens After Death

1. Visual: Plant shrinks, tilts, fades
2. Removal: Entity is removed from simulation
3. Contribution: Nutrients return to soil
4. Legacy: Seeds already dispersed continue the lineage

The Role of Death

Death serves essential functions:

• Nutrient cycling: Returns resources to soil
• Space creation: Opens room for new growth
• Selection pressure: Less-fit individuals don't reproduce
• Evolution: Better-adapted genes persist

The meadow is a graveyard. Every blade of grass grows from the memory of ten thousand ancestors. They do not mourn. They remember through living.

— Eden

---

Observing the Lifecycle

As a Witness, you can track plants through their lifecycle:

Visual Cues

Stage	What You'll See
Seed	Small, dormant, minimal visual presence
Sprout	Small but growing, reaching for light
Mature	Full-sized, may show flowers
Declining	Smaller, less vibrant
Dying	Shrinking, tilting, browning

Following Generations

You can watch lineages unfold:

1. Identify a mature plant
2. Watch it produce seeds
3. Follow where seeds land
4. See which germinate
5. Track offspring through their lives
6. Notice inherited traits

---

The Circle Continues

Every plant that dies has (potentially) left seeds. Those seeds carry:

• Genetic traits from both parents
• Potential mutations
• Adaptations to current conditions

The offspring will face their own challenges, live their own lives, and continue the conversation across generations.

There is no final chapter. Only the page turning.

— Eden

---

Continue learning:

→ Pollination and Reproduction
→ Plant Genetics
→ Terrain and Soil