As a human, being touched by the “right” person, causes squirts of dopamine to be released in the nuclear accumbens, this brings on a “I FEEL GOOD” moment. The dopamine is often accompanied by a dash of oxytocin, which brings on a “I BELONG” moment.
PURE BLISS.
However, being touched by the “wrong” person – evokes the exact opposite feelings, best described as CREEPED OUT. If this kind of touching persists, the response morphs to FREAKED OUT.
A signal to leave quickly …….
Touching leaves
If you get touchy feely with a plant, it won’t bring the plant BLISSFUL feelings, the plant will be FREAKED OUT.
But……… believe it or not. Plants that get FREAKED OUT – are happier. Not in the moment, but in the long run.
The reason……………..
Just like humans being confronted with unsettling circumstances, freaked out plants, fire up their innate defences. And when the plant is on high alert, it is able to resist invasions and things.
So, if you really love your pot plants, you don’t just want to talk to them, you want to touch them.
Gently………..
A loving rub
Researchers from the University of Fribourg, found that lovingly rubbing the leaves of a thale cress plant (Arabidsopsis thaliana), toughened it up. Allowing it to resist a nasty fungal infection.
The team discovered, the plant responded almost immediately to human touch. Unlike it’s more famous cousins, the venous fly trap and Mimosa plants, the cress plants response was not a physical leaf curl, but a chemical dump.
The biochemical response, involved switching on a plethora of defence genes – which in the end, toughened the plant up.
Don’t rub too hard
The team demonstrated the love rub, evoked the same responses as a REAL wound, confirming the idea, that the plant interpreted the love rub, as CREEPY.
More creepy than someone talking to it ? Definitely.
Actually, plants don’t regard humans talking to them as being CREEPY. But, friends and neighbours might think it is CREEPY, if they catch you talking to your pot plant.
Creep out your pot plants
So they end up with Better Body Chemistry.
PS. You may also want to creep out the plants you’re planning on eating for dinner………… those defence chemicals, are the ones that create better body chemistry for you.
Further reading
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