May
18
2016

Touch Me Not

When I was just a little kid, I remember being highly fascinated by the reaction of this unique plant called Mimosa pudica or Touch Me Not upon contact. I love looking for it and touching it to see the leaves closing and waited patiently for them to open up again only to touch them again to see them close. I can do this the entire day without getting bored.

We go to the playground almost every evening and I let Ethan play with this too when he was younger. Being homeschooled, my boys learn a lot outdoors. I continue doing the same with Ayden but it was difficult to find this Touch Me Not leaves these days.

A couple of days ago, Ethan found this plant together with a friend. They happily touched the leaves to see them closing when Ethan stopped his friend and told him to save some for Ayden. Ethan quickly ran to us and brought Ayden to the plant. He told Ayden to touch the leaf and the little brother happily obliged. When the leaf closes, Ayden squealed in excitement.

touch me not plant mimosa pudica 1

It quickly became a game where the kids try to outdo each other and try to close as many leaves as possible.

touch me not plant mimosa pudica

I still have no idea why the leaves of this plant do this. The boys questioned me obviously but I have no answer. I told them we will google for the answer together tomorrow but if any of you knows the answer, do share and help save me all the trouble emo37-7

Anyway as usual, here is a video of Ayden’s virgin Touch Me Not experience emo29

12 Comments + Add Comment

  • //

    Haha! Me too! I loved the play with the mimosa when I was a kid too.

    We used to go to a park called Traffic Garden (coz it was also a mini traffic garden for competitions) and I’ll go and touch every mimosa to make it close.

    If you wait long enough, you can see it slowly start to open too!

    I love to wait for it to partially open and TOUCH it again so it closes. :)

    I think I read somewhere that it has something to do with touch. The mimosa senses the contact and tries to protect itself by touching, kinda like how the Venus fly trap works (for flies that flies it, it slowly closes).

    Oh ya, there are also “fake mimosa” out there. I remember being puzzled as a kid coz some types of mimosa won’t close. They’re not really mimosa, just looks like them (same structure and shape) but it’s lighter green.

    • //

      Yes, yes, I totally know that fake mimosa! We were fooled once too. Ethan kept trying to make it close but it did not and yes it is a lighter shade of green >_<

  • //

    I like to touch this plant and make the leaves close when I was young too. Better google a good answer to give them from a authoritative websie. The answer we give you may not be accurate.

    • //

      I still havent got a good answer. LoL.

  • //

    Me too! I love to touch the plants either with hands or feet and see their reaction. I think every kids would be thrilled to touch the plants. My kids too when they see one. Hahaha.

    I think it is part of the plant’s survival. I am not too sure too. Just that the leaves are highly sensitive to external touch. Lol.

    • //

      Do you believe it that some people actually purposely plant this at home? For me it has always been some unwanted plant due to it having thorns and all but as I googled, some regards it as a precious speciment @_@

  • //

    I know one place here where one can find this – still enjoyed touching to watch the leaves close. A kid at heart. Hehehehehehe!!!!

    • //

      We will always be a kid at heart when it comes to this, I think as I myself still love touching and watching it close :D

  • //

    OMG, all also “me too!”, “me too!”… I have never seen this plant before, let alone play with it! >.<

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MeHome is where MY heart is.
I am a mother to two boys; Ethan and Ayden and a wife to Darling William. I'm a stay at home mum who blogs to break the monotony of life and to avoid feeling jaded. Would love to get to know all the Super Mommies and Daddies and Babies or Singles out there with the hope that we can learn more from each other. Most of all, I am a happy person, and I hope YOU are too.

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