Saturday, June 21, 2008

Tickle Me is Home

Woooooooo hooooooooooooo !!! I am soooo happy! I found an ole friend today and brought it home. While touring the country side I stopped at a home nursery. Eden on earth with this funky house, huge pond and greenhouses and trial beds and good to go beds, and and and. Yes I was in heaven.

Wandering around which by the way I am most excellent at :D, I spotted this tiny plant tucked into a corner of the green house. Oooooo, can it be? could it be? is someone smiling down on me? YESSSSSSS!!! it tis ! The elusive Mimosa pudica me ole friend. Dawn looked me way wondering why the shout of glee over a funny plant. Ahhh she wasn't aware of its properties I sighed.

This wonderous plant is also known as the Sensitive Plant or the Tickle Me Plant. Born out of the tropics the light, frilly leaves and branches close and bend down to the slightest breeze or tickle. There is a very small lilac coloured bloom once it is happy in its environment. But o the fun of this plant! It resides on the patio table and is a constant reminder of gleeful gardening.

Folks who visit are encouraged to softly stroke the leaves, underside is preferred and to sit back and watch. The leaves fold, branches bend down to the ground til "danger" has passed. Then slowly life returns as if watching the growth of a plant movie in high speed. Many a child and adult afterall why should munchkins have all the fun, have been encouraged to "tickle" the Mimosa.

Hehehehehe, I am one happy person this day.

5 comments:

  1. If you want to share your love for nature with your children, here is an activity I have done with mine. This may change the way you and the kids react to plants for ever. Imagine giving your children some seeds. Having them watch them sprout and grow. Then shortly after the second leaves appear they tickle the plant and it moves its branches down and closes its leaves! Give them a learning experience they will never forget. I found information and my growing kits at http://www.TickleMePlant.com

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  2. Thanks for the post. I never heard of this plant before. I can't wait to grow one. Cool video on the ticklemeplant.com website Seeing is believing. I love this plant!

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  3. Mark,
    Thanks so much for dropping by. I loved your video and dat bear has just the right touch. ;)

    Anony,
    You too should have your own Tickle Me, what fun they are! They may even be brought indoors and overwintered so you'll have something to tickle all year long. :D

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  4. I once stole one of those plants from the local nursery...I got so busted.
    I was wearing some of those baggy pants, you know the ones kids wear...stuffed the plant down the front of my pants, bad move.
    On the way out the door the owner of the shop wondered why I was in fits of laughter.Bloody plant was having it's way with me! Man those plants are good.So good in fact that I've now 365 of them, one for each day of the year.
    That's what I call Nutz *Winks*

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  5. Oooooo a plant for every day just like undies? Mind you they do tickle though I wont say where :D

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