sympodial

Sympodial growth is a plant growth pattern in which the main axis ceases to lengthen after a period of growth, often due to the terminal meristem forming a flower or becoming dormant, and subsequent growth continues from lateral buds. This results in a succession of distinct growing units, or short-axis shoots, rather than a single continuously elongating stem. The term is commonly used in the description of growth habits in many plant groups, especially orchids.

Mechanism and terminology occur at the level of the apical meristem. In a sympodial plant, the apex is terminated or suppressed after a growth phase, and a lateral bud below the apex becomes the new growth axis. Each cycle yields a new shoot that soon takes over as the leading axis. The overall plant appearance is a chain of segments or pseudostems connected by a creeping or branching rhizome or stem.

Examples and implications. Orchids provide classic examples, with many species forming successive short shoots or pseudobulbs along a rhizome; new growth appears from the base of the previous segment, and flowering may occur on the terminal portion of each shoot. Understanding sympodial growth helps in cultivation and propagation, as pruning, spacing, and care practices may differ from monopodial species, which retain a single, continuously elongating main stem.