Tuesday, August 12

Sensitive Plant


The real name is Mimosa Pudica for this plant. It is one of the most fascinating plants I have seen here. In Florida, we have fly-catcher plants that close up when a fly lands on it but these "sensitive plants" close when touched, the temperature changes, or the sun goes down. That is known as seismonastic or nyctinastic movement according to Wikipedia. I think the birds brought this plant to my house as a seed.
When you touch these plants, their response is instantaneous. The leaves collapse on each other in a nano-second in the area touched. Quite amazing. After a short time, they will start unfolding and open up again. It closes with the sun going down and opens again each morning with the sunrise. The mature plant also has blooms. My plant hasn't bloomed yet. They have prickly leaves so you don't want to step on them barefooted.
Just thought I'd share some of the incredible works of nature right here in my own yard.
For more information, click on this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensitive_plant
Left photo: Now you see it...
Right photo: Now you don't!
A plant with a disguise.
Nature can be very clever.

Click onto photo to enlarge.
Click the arrow in the upper left
to get back here.

Other links sent in by readers: www.TickleMePlant.com and www.sensitiveplant.com (see comments)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh yes they have the highest quality and fastest germinating seeds at www.sensitiveplant.com

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the great post!..they are more commonly called the TicklMe Plant by kids across the USA and all over the world. If you want to see a cool video of the TickleMe Plant in action go to www.TickleMePlant.com
They even have TickleMe Plant Party Favors!

barry said...

That's a pretty amazing plant, Teri..Thanks for sharing.

Tica Macha said...

Thank you so much for sending the link on TickleMePlant!! What an amazing site with the time-laspe photography of the plant over a few days. I learn so much from my readers. I don't think CR kids have TickleMePlant parties. What a cool idea, though. From now on, I'll be calling it a tickle plant too!

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Pat said...

They are fun plants. When my boys were growing up in Alajuela the kids in the neighborhood called them "dormilonas" or "sleepy heads". Thanks for the pics.