Let's introduce the topic of why the touch-me-not plant shrinks when its leaves are touched and the contraction mechanism related to flower cultivation. Let's take a look together.
The touch-me-not plant closes its leaves when touched, and the "principle" behind it is quite interesting. If you grow one yourself, it can even bloom.
In the past, everyone should have liked to play with flowers like the nail flower and the touch-me-not plant, especially the touch-me-not plant, which shrinks when touched. When I was a child and had no toys, I played with this. Mentioning these names always reminds me of the scenes when I was a child蹲ning on the cement ground in the courtyard watching plants, filled with childhood memories.
The name "touch-me-not" is quite vivid and descriptive because it is indeed very shy. As soon as it is touched, it will close its leaves. However, when I was a child, my parents often told me not to touch its small leaves all the time, or they would never be able to stretch out again. So, is it really like that? What is the principle of the touch-me-not plant's shyness?
It is a plant that can grow for many years. What does this mean? It means that if you want to keep it at home but worry that it can only bloom for one year, you can completely dispel this concern. As long as it is well cared for, it can bloom for three to five years without a problem. The touch-me-not plant's leaves close not because it is truly shy, but because its leaves have a special characteristic that allows them to react uniquely to light and heat. Therefore, when something touches it, the leaves will close automatically.
Because of this characteristic, the plant kingdom has given it the flower language of shyness, sensitivity, and politeness, which is very fitting for the first impression everyone has of it. It's as if it's a innocent girl who hasn't experienced much of the world.
Why does the touch-me-not plant shrink when its leaves are touched?
The leaves of the touch-me-not plant are long and dense, with the small leaves clustering together to form what looks like a large leaf from a distance. Its flowers are usually pink, not as deep as the Chinese pink, slightly more on the pink side, and the flowers are small but have good ornamental value and don't take up much space.
This kind of flowering plant is sometimes mistaken for the tamarind, but when fully grown, they are not to be confused. When they are seedlings, they look alike, but once grown, the differences become apparent.
The touch-me-not plant prefers a warmer environment, so in winter, if you don't want your touch-me-not plant to be frozen to death, you should bring it into a warm room, but not directly in front of a fan. Although it feels warm for a while, if you stay too long in front of it, your hands will get burnt, and if you leave the plant alone, the leaves will burn and turn black.
When does the touch-me-not plant bloom? Generally in summer. If you want to buy it to bloom without waiting, you can choose to grow it in late spring or early summer. However, if you grow it in the middle of summer, there's not much time for the plant to adapt, and if it doesn't, you might miss the blooming period.
The above comprehensive introduction to why the touch-me-not plant shrinks when its leaves are touched and its contraction mechanism is to provide some related knowledge about green plants to green enthusiasts.