Needs attention
How to care for it, step by step
Care guide checked on
Is it for you?
For a very bright, warm spot or heated greenhouse. It is often grown as an annual or short-lived plant; do not expect a permanent indoor hedge. [1]
Where to put it
Provide plenty of light, screening hot sun through glass. Keep winter temperatures at least 13°C and avoid cold draughts. [1]
When and how to water
During growth, check the mix: keep it moist rather than sodden. Water moderately as it starts drying; reduce watering when growth slows in winter. [1]
Pot and growing medium
Choose a pot with holes and peat-free mix that retains some moisture but drains excess water. A water-filled outer pot is not a useful reservoir. [1]
Step by step
If something looks wrong
Leaflets closed after touch
Check
Did you touch or move it? Closure can be its normal response to movement. [2]
What to do
Leave it undisturbed; do not add water merely because it closed. [2]
Damaged leaves or tiny pests
Check
Look for insects or mites; Kew also reports leaf damage from soaps. [2]
What to do
Avoid homemade soap remedies; show the damage to a nursery and request suitable advice. [2]
Read the sources (2)
- Mimosa pudica Royal Horticultural Society · accessed 7 Oct 2026
- Mimosa pudica — species profile Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · accessed 7 Oct 2026
Mimosa pudica has finely divided leaves sensitive to touch and small pale pink or purple flowerheads. The RHS describes a low, spreading plant with spiny stems: when looking closely, its tiny leaflets are the detail worth following. [1]
Movement involves the pulvini, small swellings that act like joints. Changes in water pressure inside cells help the leaves fold; a study using X-ray imaging also revealed flexible structures and the network that supports water transport. The plant’s internal structure helps make its movement possible. [2]
Take this with youOur little discovery: seeing a leaf as something that can move. The greenery we treat as furniture leads a surprisingly active life.
Read the sources (2)
- Mimosa pudica — sensitive plant Royal Horticultural Society · accessed 9 Sept 2026
- Real-time imaging of pulvinus bending in Mimosa pudica Scientific Reports · accessed 9 Sept 2026
Original writing and illustration made with AI assistance. Our editorial method
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