A Sensitive Plant

When I first came across the intriguing mimosa strigillosa, or sensitive plant, years ago I eagerly looked it up in my gardening book. The description was not very informative, but it was very opinionated:

". . . this plant is of little gardening value though it is amusing for children."

I still find that statement somewhat inside-out. Amusing children is a valuable gardening goal. We plant some every year. The little airy plant with mesquite-shaped leaves, folds up when touched. If touched again, the stems bend over so that the plant lays almost flat on the ground. About fifteen minutes later, we sneak up on it and irritate it all over again. This shy little wispy plant, that goes to such great pains to make itself unobstrusive, has bright pink powderpuff flowers in the late summer.

In the past we have kept containers of sensitive plant on the porch. I think this year I will keep a couple on my kitchen windowsill. Children aren't the only ones who enjoy torturing mimosa strigillosa.