Some people are very sensitive. Some people have sensitive feet and hands. Some people have sensitive skin. Some sensitive people have a hard time laughing at their own mistakes. You may know someone like this. But can you imagine living with a sensitive plant?

Try this: hold your hand in front of you with your palm side up. Spread your fingers apart. Imagine that your hand is a green plant stem. Imagine that each finger is a leaf. Use your other hand to touch your leaf fingers. Slowly close each leaf finger until you make a fist. Drop you hand down to your leg. Wait a few minutes. Then slowly bring your hand back to where it was. That was not so hard, was it? But you are a person! Imagine behaving like this as a plant!

The way this plant acts has earned the plant its name: the sensitive plant. When you brush your fingers gently across the leaves they will fold up like tiny green fingers. The stems droop as if ready to fall off the plant. About ten minutes later, the leaves reopen. The stem will rise again! The plant has other names too. It can be called the humble plant and the touch-me-not.

Sensitive plants are easy to grow at home. They simply need to get plenty of water and sunlight. Touching the plant too often can cause the plant to lose its leaves. A sensitive plant that loses many of its leaves may become unhealthy. Having such a unique plant in your house is like having a magic show at your fingertips.