What does the mimosa plant look like?
A comprehensive introduction to the appearance of the mimosa plant and related knowledge about its characteristics. Let's take a look together.
Mimosa: A leguminous perennial herb or subshrub. Its leaves react to heat and light, closing immediately when touched by external force, hence the name "mimosa." It resembles a fluffy ball in shape. After flowering, it produces flat, round pods. The leaves are pinnately compound, alternate, and palmately arranged. It flowers around midsummer, with oblong heads of inflorescences, 2-3 in the leaf axils. The flowers are white or pink, with bell-shaped sepals, 8 tiny sepals, four-petaled petals, four stamens, and a hairless ovary. The pods are flat, with one seed per segment, and the segments fall off when mature. The flowering period is September. The flowers, leaves, and pods of the mimosa plant have good ornamental value and are easy to survive, making them suitable for pot plants on balconies and indoors (excessive consumption or contact with the mimosa plant can cause hair loss). It can also be planted in courtyards. Different from most plants, the mimosa plant droops its petioles and closes its small leaves when touched, which people interpret as "shy," hence the names sensitive plant, touch-me-not, mimosa, bashful plant, and shy plant (Cantonese). It is native to the tropical regions of South America, preferring warm and humid conditions with general soil requirements.
The whole plant (mimosa): Sweet and astringent, cool. Calms the mind and spirit, clears heat and detoxifies. Used for vomiting and diarrhea, insomnia, infantile malnutrition, redness and swelling of the eyes, deep-seated abscesses, and shingles. The root (mimosa root): Astringent and slightly bitter. Poisonous. Relieves cough and phlegm, promotes dampness and dredges meridians, harmonizes the stomach, and reduces accumulations. Used for cough and asthma, rheumatic joint pain, and infantile dyspepsia.
Mimosine o-β-D-glucoside is slightly toxic. Prolonged contact or ingestion can cause the hair follicles in skin cells to fail, leading to yellowing and even hair loss. The mimosa plant has some toxicity and should not be taken alone; it must be used with other herbs. Moreover, due to mimosine, it can cause cataracts and growth inhibition. Consumption of the mimosa plant can also cause hair loss, so it is not suitable for indoor planting.
The mimosa plant has a scattered shape with delicate and slender compound leaves that close immediately upon touch. Its numerous and graceful flowers are charming, giving an impression of delicate beauty. It can be planted in the corner of a courtyard or in pots by a window. When gifting the plant, cover the potted plant lightly with pink gauze and tie a pink bow. Adding a pink mare's tail pom-pom would make it even more interesting. It is now commonly used as a household ornamental plant.
The mimosa plant is a神奇 plant that can predict weather changes. If touched, its leaves quickly close, and they open slowly, indicating that the weather will clear up. If the mimosa plant's leaves close slowly, droop slowly, or close slightly and then reopen, it indicates that the weather will turn cloudy or rain is coming soon.
The rapid opening and closing of the mimosa plant's leaves can predict sunny or cloudy weather mainly due to a small, drum-shaped薄壁 cell tissue called the pulvinus at the base of the leaf. The pulvinus is filled with water. When the leaf is touched, the water in the cells of the lower part of the pulvinus quickly moves upward and to the sides, causing the lower part to shrink and the upper part to swell, making the petiole droop and the leaves close. Therefore, the closing and opening of the leaves are caused by the pressure of the pulvinus, which is closely related to the humidity in the air. When the air humidity is low, the pressure of the pulvinus is evident, and the leaves open and close quickly. When the air humidity is high, the leaves open and close slowly. Thus, the speed of leaf opening and closing indirectly reflects the humidity in the air and can be used as a reference for weather forecasting.
Flower language: Shyness. Touching the leaves of this plant will immediately cause them to close and droop, even with a breeze. It is like a shy girl. Therefore, its flower language is - shyness. People born under this flower's blessing are very shy and timid, and they are also afraid of strangers. They are sensitive and have a strong sense of self-worth. However, if they are with people who understand them, they will be much more relaxed and prefer quality over quantity in friendships, liking deep and long-lasting feelings.
The above is an introduction to the appearance of the mimosa plant and methods for describing its characteristics, which can be used as a reference suggestion.