1. Plant growth follows distinct phases: cell formation, enlargement, and maturation.
2. The initial phase involves meristematic cell division and the addition of new cells.
3. Newly formed cells elongate and undergo enlargement during the phase of cell enlargement.
4. Cell maturation follows, where cells differentiate into specialized types.
5. Growth rates vary across phases: slow in the lag phase, accelerating in the exponential phase, and slowing down in the stationary phase. The overall pattern forms an S-shaped growth curve when plotted against time.