From Seed to Seed:
Plant Science for K-8 Educators

Digging Deeper

Sensitive Plants???

You may be familiar with two striking examples of plants responding to touch: The mimosa, or sensitive plant, whose delicate fernlike leaves fold up in response to even the lightest touch; and the Venus flytrap, a carnivorous plant whose jawlike leaves close when touched by an unsuspecting insect. The mechanisms for these responses to touch is thought to involve the rapid movement of water, rather than the migration of auxin. As water moves into or out of certain cells, it causes them to swell or shrink. These changes in cell size cause the leaves to fold up and reopen when conditions are right. Later in the course, in an activity on adaptations, we make suggestions for growing Venus flytrap plants with your students. It might also be interesting, and fun, to grow a "pet" mimosa plant for your class to care for. They do seem almost human and can alter our perceptions of plants!

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