Sensitive Plant is easily grown from seeds offered by the GreenDealer Exotic Seeds Selection of Tropical Houseplants

Mimosa pudica is known by several common names including: Sensitive Plant, Humble Plant, Shame Plant and "Dormilona" in Spanish, which means "Sleeping Plant".

Mimosa s a genus of shrubby herbaceous plants of the Fabaceae, or Bean Family. Most species are native to the topical regions of the Americas.

Sensitive Plant grows as a perennial in the tropics but can be grown outdoors as an annual in cooler climates. It also adapts well to a container and can be grown as a houseplant or in a cool greenhouse.

Sensitive Plant is extremely sensitive. The foliage will close up and droop at the slightest touch. After a while the plant regains its composure and resumes its normal appearance. Pink to purplish flower puffs are abundant making this unique little plant a favorite inside the home or in the garden. Outdoors, it grows best in normal garden soil and prefers full sun. Indoors, it can be grown in potting soil and requires the light from a window.

The photograph above shows some of the foliage open while other leaflets are folded. This photograph was taken near La Fortuna, Costa Rica in June, 1999.

© 1999 Michael King