If you were to design your dream house, what would be the critical considerations? you would need to include not only the materials that make up the building as well as consider energy sources,/ thermal regulation, security, size, light absorption, waste disposal and many more.

Plants also need to consider the same factors before they 'build' their bodily structure.

Let's first list the functional aspects of a plant body, then view the tissues or building blocks that plants use to build their form.

Example to left: photo of dogwood bud encased in ice due to this winter's first ice storm. What physical forces must a plant be designed to withstand?