What Does a Plant Know?

A flower can tell the direction of the sun and then twist to make it facing that one. This is true with sunflowers and many other plants. They always grow facing the direction the sun is at. But, do plants remember about weather? Do plants see you?

Recent studies do show that plants possess many senses. Some plants are more complex than animals on a genetic level. Many plants do have the ability to sense what is happening around them and then share this data to other parts, such as the stem, roots. Tests show that a Burr cucumber can detect and respond to only .25 grams in weight. Humans can only detect a weight of two grams of weight. One test showed that a non-ripe avocado ripens faster when placed in a brown bag with a ripe banana. Why? The avocado senses the ripe fruit's chemicals. Some plants are able to hunt for prey. The Venus flytrap are great plants and when a bug lands in its claws, the trap closes in one tenth of a second. This is triggered by a chemical when two hairs on the inside are touched. More astonishing is, the plant knows when a bug lands or when a non-edible entity lands, chemically.

Another amazing plant is the Mimosa. Also known as a sensitivity plant, when one touches it, the leaves fold up. A nightfall, the leaves of a Mimosa tree fold. How does it know? It has no eyes? With the sensitivity plant, when they are touched, potassium is senses and water in the leaves flows out causing leaves to fold. Young trees can also detect insect damage to themselves and close-by trees.

Studies have not been explain all the how and why's, but some plants seem to be in "the know".