Sensitive plants (Mimosa pudica) can live outside, but only in climates that mimic their native tropical environment. They require warm temperatures (consistently above 15°C / 59°F) and bright, indirect light. In colder regions, they must be grown indoors or treated as seasonal annuals.
Growing and caring for the Sensitive Plant requires understanding its unique needs. This fascinating plant, famous for its touch-sensitive leaves, thrives both indoors and outdoors with proper care.
Sensitive plants (Mimosa pudica) have a 1-2 year long lifespan and typically bloom from May-September. We are excited to see these ones taking off in October! In parts of the world such as Hawaii, Tanzania, and South Asia this plant is considered invasive.
Sensitive Plants are a species of creeping shrub that get their name from their unique leaf movement when touched. They are low-maintenance house plants that have a very fast growth rate and absolutely thrive in indoor or warm outdoor temperatures.
Water your Sensitive Plant when the top inch of soil feels dry. This is typically every 3-4 days during the growing season and less frequently in winter. Ensure the soil is moist but not waterlogged.
Caring for Your Sensitive Plant
Mimosa pudica likes soil that can hold enough water to remain consistently moist while providing good drainage to prevent root rot. Self-watering pots are a good choice for this plant.
Sensitive Plants can go dormant in winter; keep them warm and reduce watering slightly. Please Note: When your plant arrives, its leaves may appear closed or drooping due to transport stress. This is completely normal.
It is called mimosa pudica, also known as the sensitive plant. When touched, it quickly closes its leaves. This happens because of changes in water pressure inside its cells. It is actually a defense mechanism to protect itself from predators.
This feathery, fern-like plant is prevalent in some tropical areas (like Hawaii) to the point of being considered a weed, but in our climate Sensitive Plant is a humidity-loving houseplant. As a houseplant, expect Sensitive Plant to grow to be about 18 inches tall in a somewhat shrub shape.
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It grows in shady areas, forests, edges and roadsides, and is pollinated by wind and insects. The Sensitive Plant is native to Central and South America, and is now distributed throughout the tropics worldwide; it is considered invasive in some areas it has been introduced.
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Moving houseplants outside is a big change in environmental conditions, so acclimating them is important. Never move houseplants from indoors into full sun. Leaf burn, discoloration, and drop can occur. On some species, especially succulents, the damage to the fleshy stems and leaves is permanent.
They'll grow into new plants. Watering a day before helps the leaves stay on. Cut the bottom of that pot completely off and place it in a new pot full of dirt. It will just root itself eventually into the new pot, giving it more room to grow.
Called "seismonastic movement," this behavior is driven by the plant's internal circadian rhythm, responding to the change from day to night. Closing its leaves helps the #mimosa conserve water, protect itself from herbivores, and reduce environmental stress.
It is often grown for its curiosity value: the sensitive compound leaves quickly fold inward and droop when touched or shaken and re-open a few minutes later.
In tropical parts of the world, the sensitive plant is considered invasive by the Global Invasive Species Database. It has become a serious weed in soybean, sugar cane and corn fields, where it is a threat to both plant and human communities.
PROPAGATION: Sensitive plants can be propagated by stem cuttings. To do this, take a cutting and place the stem into a container of moist soil. Be sure to keep the soil moist and in approximately two weeks, roots should start in the soil. Also, be sure to keep the new plant in a bright, sunny location.
This is a tropical evergreen subshrub normally grown here as a house plant. If given proper care, it could live indefinitely but generally will not tolerate temps lower than 65F. It is a common annual weed in many parts of the world. In its native environment, it is pollinated by wind or insects.
A sensitive plant, indeed! This unusually shy houseplant rapidly folds in its leaves after being touched, exposing its spines as protection from potential harm. Children and adults alike will love watching it move in response to touch, heat, or light.
The leaves of mimosa plants fold when touched, opening again in a few minutes.
Research has shown that English Ivy can eliminate up to 78% of airborne mold within 12 hours. This makes it particularly useful in humid areas like bathrooms and basements where mold growth is more common.
The Sensitive Plant loves humid conditions and thrives with regular misting and lots of moisture. Moisture on its leaves is what keeps the leaves upright, so be sure to mist often or add a humidifier nearby. If your Sensitive plant is not getting enough sunlight then its leaves might not open properly.
sensitive plant, (Mimosa pudica), plant in the pea family (Fabaceae) that responds to touch and other stimulation by rapidly closing its leaves and drooping. Native to South and Central America, the plant is a widespread weed in tropical regions and has naturalized elsewhere in warm areas.