Senescence (se’·nes·cence) meaning "to grow old," is the gradual deterioration of function and is found in all life. The plant is now in senescence. The whole purpose of the plant now is to create seeds. The blossoms are drying up and falling away. However, seed pods are now growing in their place. So there is growth even during senescence. The purpose of the plant was to reproduce it genetics. Only the seeds have future, the rest of the plant will decompose back into top soil. What is now important to the plant is to repackage is genetic code into protected seeds. The oldest seed that has grown into a plant was a Siberian Arctic Flower with an age of 31,800 years.