Touch Me Not Plant is a herb or shrub which is native to south and central America but now considered as the pantropical weed. So, if you are willing to know where is touch me not plant found you will come through a list of regions like South Asia, East Asia, West Africa, South Africa, and Australia.
The plant belongs to the Fabaceae family and is known as Mimosa pudica scientifically. You can come across many touch me not plant common names like Sensitive plant, Shameplant, Action Plant, Sleepy Plant, and Shy Plant. Like many other plant species, the plant undergoes rapid movement. The orientation of leaves tends to change and when it’s dark the plant closes the foliage and reopens them in the light.
The plant has tiny little green leaves that tend to close when someone touches them. Due to this characteristic, the plant is named as touch me not plant. The tiny fern-shaped leaves have tiny hairs on them which are very responsive to slight touch, motion, and change in temperature. This is a natural defence mechanism used by the plant. Apart from that if you ask how fast does Shameplant grow? Then let me tell you that these are really fast growers.
You can see the lovely blossoms of this plant in the summers till early autumn. Beautiful pale pink to lavender colored flowers arrive during this time which resembles pompons. The plant can be grown indoors and outdoors. However, it requires good light, and a favorable temperature to grow. So, is ‘touch me not’ plant good for home? Well, you can leverage so many benefits of this plant.
Caring for Touch Me Not Plant (Sensitive Plant)
- Soil: Although the plant can grow in any kind of soil, the best for its optimal growth is loamy, well-drained soil. In tropical regions, the plant is familiar with growing on soil with fewer nutrients, so less-rich soil would also work fine for its growth. You can buy commercial potting soil or make your own soil by using 2 parts of loamy soil, 2 parts of peat moss, and one part of perlite.
- Water: The sensitive plant likes to stay in moist soil but keeps a check that it is not overwatered. Overwatering can lead to excess water in the feet of the plant which may cause root rot. Generally, water this plant when the upper layer of the soil feels dry to touch. Water sessions are also dependent on persisting temperatures and weather.
- Temperature & Humidity: The sensitive plant thrives well in temperatures ranging between 16 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees celsius. It cannot handle the extreme chills or heat waves so keeping indoors at room temperatures is ideal. The plant loves mid to high humidity and can be accessed indoors. If during winters you use heaters to warm your home, it makes the surroundings dry. Here you need to use a humidifier for the plant to provide adequate humidity.
- Light: Bright light is really important for the plant and it should receive at least 6-8 hours of sunlight every day. If you do not provide adequate light, the leaves will fold and you will not be able to witness the blooms. Place it near a window where it can receive direct sunlight during the day.
- Fertilizers: As they are commonly found in the soil with less nutrient quotient, so a half-powered, liquid fertilizer every few weeks during the growing period will work. If you are really interested in the fast growth rate of the place you can use a liquid high-potassium fertilizer. Make sure you water the plant before spraying fertilizer.
Uses & Benefits of Mimosa Pudica
- There are so many Mimosa Pudica medicinal uses like it has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-venom properties used to treat infections.
- The sensitive plant is used to cure baldness and control hair loss. It will help you grow more hair cells and you may find the extract of this plant in many shampoos.
- You can use the roots of Mimosa pudica for piles, to cure snake bites, asthma, diarrhea, fever, ulcers, jaundice, and hemorrhoids. Drink the juice of the plant to control blood sugar levels.
- To access the mimosa pudica spiritual benefits you need to go by the Vastu terms and place them accordingly in your house. Place it somewhere near a window on the eastern side of the house.
- The plant has good healing properties and you can extract the juice of the leaves and apply it to the cuts and wounds. It can subside pain and heal the wound much faster.
- The sensitive plant is useful in controlling the hormones and restricting the heavy bleeding during menstruation. Take the juice of the plant, mix it with honey and drink at least 3 times a day.
- Intestinal worms and stomach aches are very common in children. Make a paste from the leaves of the plant, mix it with honey and consume it once a day.
Some Additional Tips
- If you do not have to touch me not plant in your home, but still you want to leverage the benefits, try using mimosa pudica supplement available in many forms in the market.
- Although the plant is quite useful to humans if you overconsume this herb, you can come across some mimosa pudica side effects like constipation, and GI discomfort.
- Use the mimosa pudica seeds and put them in loamy soil under favorable conditions to see the rapid growth of the plant. The plant usually germinates within a week from seeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Is Touch me Not Plant poisonous?
As per studies, the plant has shown significant cases where consuming it helped people cure diseases. So, it is not poisonous and safe to consume.
Q2: What is the easiest way to grow touch me not plant?
The plant grows really fast from seeds and cuttings. The plant germinates real quick during the summers.
Q3: What are the most common problems with touch me not plants?
Some of the common problems that you may encounter are folded leaves that are not opening, yellow leaves, spider mites, and fungal diseases due to low humidity.
