How does the Tickle Me Plant work?
Mimosa pudica (also known as the “sensitive plant” or “Tickle Me plant”) is well known for its rapid leaf movement. In the evening the leaflets will fold together and the whole leaf droops downward. It then re-opens at sunrise. This type of movement is called nyctinastic movement. The leaves also close up under various other stimuli, such as touching, warming, or shaking (hence the name, Tickle Me plant).
The stimulus can also be transmitted to neighboring leaves. The scientific term for these are seismonastic movements. The movement is caused by “a rapid loss of pressure in strategically situated cells that cause the leaves to droop right before one’s eyes”. [Wikipedia] This characteristic is quite common within the Mimosaceae family. Gradual loss of pressure can also cause the plant to close its fronds as is sometimes the case when it is exposed to a strong wind, rain or sunlight.
Why the plant’s leaves close up when exposed to these external stimuli is most likely an evolutionary response. As the leaves fold down, sharp thorns are exposed and would make the plant less tasty for herbivore animals that might want to eat them.
Posted by the science guy for the best selling science toys of 2008.
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November 16th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Wow! I love this plant. Who know a plant can move when tickled. I googled and found http://www.ticklemeplant.com
they show a cool video and offer low priced TickleMe Plant
kits to grow your own indoors year round. Also check out the cool experiments. I think the kits make great gifts year round. Who wouldn’t want a plant that moves when tickled!