Hello Latha! I will make it easy for you to understand.

• Xylem is the tissue in plants that carries water and minerals from the roots to the leaves and it works only in one direction which is upwards just like a lift that goes only up. Xylem tubes are made of dead but strong cells so they act like pipelines.

For example think about a tall tree such as coconut. Even though the tree is several meters water will get absorbed by the roots at the bottom which will then reach the top leaves through xylem.

• Phloem is the tissue that transports the food like sugar or glucose which is made in the leaves to all the other parts of the plant such as roots, flowers and fruits. In contrast to xylem phloem can move the food and both directions (upwards and downwards) depending on the need. It is made up of living cells and companion cells.

For example: when you eat a mango the sweetness in the fruit comes from the phloem carried sugar from the leaves (where it was made) down to the mango fruit.