Can a plant surive with out sun?

My boyfriend was arguing with me that a plant/flower can just life off of soil %26amp;%26amp; ii told him NoOoO a plant/flower needs sun TOo grow %26amp;%26amp; surive so which is true.?

Can a plant surive with out sun?
Green plants have to have sun to survive. They use the sunlight for a process called photosynthesis in which they create their own food.
Reply:Did he mean direct sunlight? You can keep certain plants in your bathroom year round--such as Orchids. Mine have been thriving!
Reply:NOT SUN BUT LIGHT IS REQUIRED FOR PHOTOSENSUS DID I SPELL THET WRONG?
Reply:In a way you are both right. Some house plants do not like or need sunlight. They do need indirect light. The same is true of some annuals which you plant outside. Many plants won't tolerate sun light but do very well in the shade or with very little direct sun. If you plant a shade plant in the sun, it will require lots of water and in many cases will never bloom.
Reply:They can survive without sun but not without light. Plants that have blooms need 6 hrs. of sun a day. Most plants that are just leaves don't need direct sun. I don't know of any plant that can live with dirt alone.
Reply:yes a plant can survive without sun . I know people who have grown plants 3 stories below ground in sub-basements where not a drop of sun is anywhere in sight (ya pot plants).


In return they do need a light- and a common florescent light bulb is the best substitute for real sun light. the process of photosynthesis can be fully accomplished off a light bulb, any type light bulb works but one (like florescent) that provides a complete spectrum of light break down are better than others who provide one or another.


also many plants can survive in complete darkness - but only for so long.


the 3 things plants need to survive naturally are light,darkness and moisture. The only reason they need light and darkness is to complete their photosynthesis to create food..but if you are able to directly add food to the soil- a plant can survive and thrive without completing photosynthesis. So technically your boyfreind is right - but it would take alot of human actions to make the plant live - so really i guess it can be considered that it cant live naturally without sunlight.
Reply:It depends upon whether you consider mushrooms and other fungi plants. Mushroom and other fungi do not need any light whatsoever. And, he does have a point....may plants that thrive at the bottom of the ocean receive no light whatsoever (but then, they have adapted to those conditions). And, there is artificial light -- may pot growers use special grow lights and grow their plants without actual sunshine.





Otherwise, a plant above water -- while maybe not needing sun, per se, still requires light. It can grow for a while (like that celery stalk you stuck in water in the fridge), but eventually it will die without some kind of light so that it can produce chlorophyl.