Solving the vulnerabilities of a plant-based life-form's civilization: sunlight, roots, and hibernation

Say you are a plant-based life-form (imagine a walking tree). You have roots and leaves.

You have two main vulnerabilities:

1. You need sunlight on your leaves for photosynthesis to get energy.
2. You need to root yourself in the earth occasionally to absorb water and nutrients.

And you also face a serious challenge if, like your non-sentient cousins, you lose your leaves for the winter and must enter a period of extended hibernation.

Additionally, your offspring are numerous, extremely frail and take a long time to mature.

How can such a race build a successful civilization? Especially if challenged by other civilizations.

Clarification Update:

By "Civilization" I mean a society with towns, cities, governments, politics, armies, etc. These are not all required, but just to emphasize what I mean by Civilization. Not just a loose collection of beings, but a whole nation as it were.

Some of the main issues I see:

1. The race must always have access to nutrient rich earth and sunlight.
2. The entire race might be hibernating at the same time.
3. Dependent on seasons.

posted almost 8 years ago

Inbar Rose‭

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