Do plants have feeling?

How are you? This is a common question that people ask everyday and everywhere. People
use this question to understand what other people think. People can listen to what other people
say and express to know what do they feel, then give the right responses. Psychology is a subject
that studies the mental phenomenon and function, and understand the behaviors of human and
animals. But how about plants? People usually talk about the behaviors of human and animals,
but not really care about the plants. Plants are used to be thought that they cant move, and they
cant respond. Is that true? Do plants really cannot feel anything or memorize nothing? Lets
read a diary which is written by the plant.
Diary of plant
Day 1: I was planted by a little boy. His name is Andrew. He said growing up quickly to
me. I drink some water that he gave me. Its dark here. Time to sleep. Good night!
Day 5: My body is getting longer day by day. I feel Im growing up. Now, I see the sun. It
is warm outside.
Day 8: There are two little sprouts come out from my body. Its 65 degrees here, I love this
temperature.
Day 10: Today, Andrew came to see me. He stood in the blooming yard and looked
forward to see my blooming. He gave me some water before leaving.
Day 15: I outgrow some leaves today.
Day 16: I can feel the sunlight. I love the weather and humidity today. I can feel the whole
bunch energy comes out of my body.
Day 20: Today is a windy day. I hope I wont be blown away.
Day 21: Its raining now! I love water! But, no! Not so much water, please! My root
sinks in the water help Flooding here
Day 22: Theres a bug biting my leaf! Hey! Dont bite me! Go away! Its hurt! I think I
should make some chemical materials to get rid of this bug.
Day 23: Andrew found the bug was eating me, so he drove it away. Thanks a lot!
Im safe now! By the way, I hate bugs

Day 25: I have a new bud on my head. Its orange! Hey, I think I love this color.
Day 27: I hear the music come from the house. It sounds really good! Its Nocturne from
Chopin. I love classical music.
Day 30: Andrew and I stand beneath the sun. We look at each other. He seems very happy
to see my flowering.
It turns dark here, how about there?
Its a little cold here, how about there?
Here, everything has changed
I feel something blooms out from my mind
And I wrote something down
And so are you?
It is almost morning, how about there?
The weather is hot here, how about there?
Here, I start recognizing something
I have collected all the tears
And bury our memories into the soil
And so are you?

Plants can learn, sense, memorize, and even response back in their own ways which human
may not recognize.
In the early 19 century, there is a scientist, named Sir Jagandis Chander Bose, found that
plants have electric responses when they are bitten by caterpillars. Some of the plants will release
some chemical materials to defense the biting by insects.
In Australia, there is an animal biologist found that the mimosa has long term memory. She
set up a device which drops the mimosa without touching. The mimosa get shocked, then
collapsed. After 5 or 6 times, the mimosa adapts being dropped. The mimosa did not collapse.
This is an amazing discovery because it shows that the mimosa has learned something and

memorized something. Learning is a procedure of getting knowledge, technique, attitude or

values by teaching or experiencing. The mimosa learns to adjust the change of environment.
Plants can sense the gravity. Some plants grow toward the sky. If you rotate them 90
degrees to the right, they will grow up perpendicular to the ground. Some plants grow toward the
sun. For example, the helianthus, which is called sunflower in common. You can see them face
the east side in the morning, and face west side in the evening. They can even react the different
wavelength of light.
There are many researches show that plants respond to different music. In 1973, Dorothy
Retallack conducted an experience to test the reaction of plants. One batch of plant, she gave
them listen to soothing music. Another batch of plant, she gave them listen to rock music. After 2
weeks, two batches present different situations. The plants which listen to soothing music are
healthy and began to grow toward the radio. Other plants which listen to rock music have
smaller leaves. This examination shows that plants can feel the sound in the air even though they
do not have ears.
Plants can feel the object surrounds them. They can sense the repellent and shift the
direction to avoid touching the obstacle. For example, when a tree finds there is an obstacle in
front of it. It will detour its root to bypass the barriers. Vines can sense the wall or rod nearby,
and grow toward it until it climbs on the wall or rod.
These examples prove that plants do have feelings. They feel everything surrounding them.
From the beginning of the world, plants have longer history than human beings. They can feel or
sense something even they do not have brains or nerves. Therefore, we should respect them and
believe that everything has a soul. Human are not the only master of the earth.
Referene
[1] Bose, Jagadis Chander. The Nervous Mechanism of Plants. London, NY: Longmans Green,
1926. Print.
[2] Bose, Jagadis Chunder. Plant Response: As a Means of Physiological Investigation. New
York: Longmans, Green, 1906. Print.
[3] Retallack, Dorothy L. The Sound of Music and Plants. Santa Monica, CA: DeVorss, 1973.