What Does a Mimosa Pudica Look Like, and Is It Toxic? A Complete Guide to Care

Mimosa pudica is a perennial herb or subshrub in the Fabaceae family. Because its leaves respond to heat and light and close immediately when touched by an external force, it is named "mimosa pudica." So what does a mimosa pudica look like? Is it toxic? How do you care for it? Let's take a look below.

The flowers, leaves and pods of mimosa pudica all have good ornamental value, and it is relatively easy to keep alive, making it suitable as a potted flower for balconies and indoors (people eating it or coming into excessive contact with mimosa pudica can also experience hair loss). It can also be planted in courtyards and other places. Mimosa pudica differs from ordinary plants in that when touched by people, its leaf stalks droop and its leaflets close, so people interpret this as “shyness,” which is why it is called the sensitive plant, hehu cao, mimosa pudica, zhixiu cao and pa chou cao (Cantonese). It is native to the tropical regions of South America, prefers warmth and humidity, and has ordinary soil requirements.

I. What does a mimosa pudica look like?

The mimosa pudica is shaped like a pom-pom. After flowering it forms pods, and the fruit is flat and round. The leaves are feather-like compound leaves arranged alternately, in a palmate arrangement. It generally blooms after midsummer; the capitulum is oblong, with 2-3 growing in the leaf axils. The flowers are white or pink, the calyx is bell-shaped with 8 tiny calyx teeth, the petals are four-lobed, there are four stamens, and the ovary is hairless. The pods are flat, with 1 seed per pod segment, and the segments fall off when ripe. The flowering period is September.

II. The flower language of mimosa pudica

1. Sensitivity, a sensitive heart

2. Shyness

3. Politeness

4. Warm friendship

5. Don't say you love me

6. Knowing shame

Long ago, there was a poor man named Han who, unable to endure the abuse of his sister-in-law, left home and went out into the world on his own. He was quite diligent, and within a few years, a heavenly fairy named Huan took a liking to him and was reincarnated to descend to the mortal world. After Huan and Han met, the two fell in love and were joined in marriage. The young couple lived extremely sweetly.

But the happy days did not last long. Because Han's sister-in-law was jealous of them, she tried every means to destroy the couple, and even maliciously wanted her sister-in-law to do the rough work for her. One day, the sister-in-law asked Huan to come to her house to weave one hundred zhang of cloth. At this time Huan was near her due date, but she could not refuse her sister-in-law, so she went. Huan wove cloth for her sister-in-law day and night, but unexpectedly, before the cloth could be finished, she was about to give birth. In the end, she had no choice but to wave toward the sky.

Incredibly, a group of fairies flew into the house and wove cloth for her…… Before dawn, the cloth was already finished. Who would have thought that Han's sister-in-law had witnessed everything, and she exaggerated it to Han, accusing Huan of being a demon or monster. And Han actually believed it, and secretly took advantage of Huan's sleep to hack her to death. Only afterward did Han discover that Huan was a fairy reincarnated. He knew he had been wrong and felt deeply that he had failed his wife. All day long he was both ashamed and remorseful, and in the end, he died from excessive grief.

Later, a plant grew on Han's tombstone, and when the wind blew or someone touched it, its leaves would close. People all said this was Han's transformation, and that the opening and closing of the leaves was because of shame. So this plant was called "mimosa pudica."

III. Is mimosa pudica toxic?

The entire mimosa pudica plant contains trace amounts of toxins. This plant itself contains a substance called mimosine. If you come into close contact with mimosa pudica for a long time, it can make hair turn yellow and fall out. Grown as a potted plant indoors, it can purify the air and provide ornamental beauty, while also causing slight harm to the body.

During the day, mimosa pudica does not harm the human body, but at night, mimosa pudica cannot carry out photosynthesis and will release toxic substances. Therefore, mimosa pudica placed indoors is best kept on a balcony, to avoid long-term contact harming body and mind.

Compared with indoors, mimosa pudica is more suitable for growing on a balcony or outdoors. Its growth requires strong light, and indoor light conditions cannot meet what mimosa pudica needs for growth. Too much contact can also harm the human body, and it easily causes mimosa pudica to drop its leaves.

1. Can you keep mimosa pudica at home if there is a pregnant woman?

Mimosa pudica contains an alkaloid, and households with a pregnant woman had best not grow it. Pregnant women have weaker constitutions, and mimosa pudica can very easily cause hair loss in pregnant women, and in severe cases may lead to miscarriage. Besides mimosa pudica, in households with a pregnant woman, growing flowers and plants is always somewhat unfavorable to the pregnant woman and can affect the fetus in her body.

2. Can you keep mimosa pudica at home if there are children?

Mimosa pudica is delicate and interesting, and will attract children's interest and attention. Long-term touching of mimosa pudica can harm children's skin, cause hair follicles to decline, and make hair and eyebrows turn yellow and fall out. Therefore, if there are children at home, it is best not to grow mimosa pudica.

IV. How do you care for mimosa pudica?

Mimosa pudica is a taproot plant with very few fibrous roots. It is suitable for propagation by sowing, and it is best to use the direct sowing method to avoid damaging the roots during transplanting; if it must be transplanted, it should be transplanted at the seedling stage, otherwise it is not easy to keep alive. As a plant grown as an annual, mimosa pudica is generally sown indoors in early spring.

1. Preparation before sowing: You can direct sow in a small pot, or grow seedlings in a shallow pot and divide and transplant them. For the sowing soil, use 2 parts leaf mold, 3 parts garden soil, and 5 parts fine yellow sand, sifted and mixed. When sowing, first fill the pot with an appropriate amount of growing medium, spread it flat and press it firm, sprinkle thoroughly with a watering can, and sow immediately after the water has fully seeped through.

2. Planting method: For direct sowing in small pots, sow 1-2 seeds per pot. If using a shallow pot to grow seedlings, sow in spots at a spacing of 2cm×2cm. After sowing, cover with 3-5cm of soil, just enough to cover the seeds. Cover the pot with glass or plastic film to retain moisture, and place the pot in a bright spot with indirect light at around 20℃. Afterward, when the soil in the pot looks dry, water it using the bottom-soaking method. After about 7-10 days, the seeds germinate and sprout.

3. Seedling care: After the seedlings emerge, remove the cover from the pot and gradually let them receive sunlight. When the seedlings grow to 3cm tall, those sown in the shallow pot can be divided and transplanted. When dividing seedlings, transplant with soil, otherwise they are not easy to keep alive. After the newly potted seedlings are watered thoroughly, first place them in semi-shade, and after they recover, move them to a place with ample sunlight. Those direct-sown in small pots can be placed directly in a spot with ample sunlight to grow.

4. Seedling cultivation: In mid-April in the south and early May in the north, the seedling pots can be moved outdoors to grow, and watered promptly to keep the potting soil moist at all times. When the seedlings grow to 4 leaves, begin applying liquid fertilizer; generally apply a diluted, fully decomposed liquid fertilizer once every 7-10 days. After the seedlings grow larger, they can be repotted once more, but the pot used should not be too large; generally, planting them into a medium-sized flower pot of 15-20cm is sufficient.

Notes

During the growth period of mimosa pudica, along with watering, you can apply a diluted, fully decomposed liquid fertilizer about once every 10 days for (3-4) times. As a potted ornamental flower, it can easily be moved indoors to a sunny spot, and maintaining a room temperature of 0-12 degrees is enough for it to overwinter safely.

Water: It likes moisture; during the summer growth period, water once a day. Fertilizer: At the seedling stage, apply a top dressing once every half month. If you do not want the plant shape to become too large, then reduce the amount of fertilizer.

Soil: It requires deep, fertile, moist soil.

Temperature: It is not cold-tolerant and likes a warm climate; in winter the plant dies back on its own.

Light: It likes ample light and tolerates partial shade.

Propagation: Propagate by sowing. Sow from late March to early April. Seedlings grow relatively slowly; when the seedlings are 7-8 cm tall, they can be planted in a permanent spot.