Sensitive Plant Seeds - Mimosa pudica Touch-Me-Not

Bring a little movement to your plant collection with Sensitive Plant (Mimosa pudica). Its delicate green leaflets fold when gently touched and also close at night. Pink puffball flowers add another point of interest when growing conditions support blooming. Set a pot near a bright window and watch this unusual plant respond to its surroundings.

What you receive

Choose 100, 500, or 2,000 seeds from the available pack options. This listing is for seeds, not a live plant. Pack options differ by seed quantity, not flower color.

Plant details

• Botanical name: Mimosa pudica
• Common names: Sensitive plant, touch-me-not, shameplant, shy plant
• Life cycle: Tender perennial in suitable frost-free conditions; often grown as a houseplant or outdoor annual
• Flowers: Pink, rounded puffballs
• Light: Bright light indoors; full sun to partial shade outdoors with gradual acclimation
• Soil: Fertile, well-drained potting mix or garden soil
• Outdoor spacing: Approximately 15 inches apart

How to sow

1. Soak seeds in water for 12–24 hours before sowing.
2. Fill small pots or a seed tray with moist seed-starting mix. Individual pots can reduce root disturbance later.
3. Sow approximately 1/8 inch deep and cover lightly.
4. Keep warm, around 70°F, in a bright location. Maintain even moisture without saturating the mix.
5. If using a clear cover to retain moisture, check regularly and remove it as seedlings emerge.

Under suitable conditions, germination may begin in approximately 5–10 days, though timing varies with temperature, moisture, and seed conditions.

When to start

For outdoor growing, start indoors approximately 8–10 weeks before your expected last frost. Alternatively, sow outdoors 1–2 weeks after the average last frost once conditions are reliably warm. Protect seedlings from cold weather and frost.

Gradually acclimate indoor-grown seedlings to outdoor conditions before transplanting. Handle the root ball gently and use containers with drainage holes.

Everyday care

Keep the growing medium evenly moist but not waterlogged. Provide a bright position and introduce stronger sun gradually to avoid scorching. If moving the plant indoors for winter, bring it in before cold weather and place it near a bright window away from cold drafts.

Enjoy the folding leaves with occasional gentle observation rather than repeated touching. Do not apply heat to trigger movement. Sensitive plant is not carnivorous, and flowering time and mature size vary with growing conditions.

Growing responsibly

Grow as an ornamental plant, not for eating. Keep planting seeds out of reach of children and pets. Before planting outdoors in warm climates, check local guidance on Mimosa pudica and prevent unwanted spread or self-seeding.