Mimosa pudica
sensitive plant
An award winning short-lived perennial, often grown as a pot plant curiosity, with 'sensitive' leaves that fold and...
approx 150 seeds
£2.89
In stock (shipped within 3-5 working days)
1
Plant description
An award winning short-lived perennial, often grown as a pot plant curiosity, with 'sensitive' leaves that fold and close up when touched. Triggered by tiny hairs on the finely divided leaves (a response to heavy downpours and pests in the wild), the stems gradually recover over a few hours to reset themselves and soak up the sun once more. Small pink pom-pom flowers emerge later in the year as the plant matures, as does a number of small rose-like thorns used by Mimosa pudica to scramble through other shrubby plants in its native Central and South America. It can be grown indoors on a bright windowsill.
Eventual height & spread
Flowering period
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Plant features
Position
Full sun / light shade
Rate of growth
Fast-growing
Soil
Moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil, or peat-free general purpose compost
Hardiness
Frost tender
Growing instructions:
Grow indoors in medium-sized pots of compost, sowing thinly and covering lightly with a fine layer of compost. Firm in gently and keep moist. Cover with glass, polythene or a propagator lid and maintain temperatures at approx. 20ºC. Germination may be slow and erratic, but seedlings will often start to appear within 14-42 days. When they do start to appear, remove the cover and thin out to approx. 5cm apart, leaving around half a dozen seedlings to grow on. Water sparingly, allowing compost to almost dry out between waterings.
Please note:
This perennial dies back to below ground level each year in autumn, then fresh new growth appears again in spring.
Which house plant where?
Which house plants you choose should depend on the environment you intend to keep them in, the space available, how much time you can spend preening them as well as your personal preference. For me, foliage house plants are the ticket, because they provid
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