Do Stalagmites Go up or Down?

Stalactites grow down from the cave ceiling, while stalagmites grow up from the cave floor.

How do you remember the differences between stalagmites and stalactites?

Stalactites hang from the ceiling, stalagmites rise from the floor of a cave. Mnemonic: The 'mites go up and the 'tites come down. When one has ants in one's pants, the mites go up and the tights come down.

What direction do stalagmites grow?

Stalagmites grow upwards from the drips that fall to the floor. They spread outwards more, so they have a wider, flatter shape than stalactites, but they gain mass at roughly the same rate.