Saturday, July 12, 2008

Plants Communicate With Other Species

Plant communication is more widespread than thought, in fact, researchers suspect that it is almost universal among plants. Plants not only communicate with their own species, but with other plants and even with animals.

Some, like the wild tobacco, even know not to communicate when the intended recipient of the message is not around. It does not emit its anti-caterpillar scent until night time when nocturnal moths are liable to be around to lay eggs on them. Should the moths lay eggs on the plants the plant will signal to an all-purpose insect ally to eat the eggs. That same ally will also eat other insect pests that harm the plant.

Scientists say that not only are the plants’ messages specific, it appears that an individual plant will vary its message based on its experience.

That plants even communicate with other species is a wonder that cannot be explained by chance mutations. That their messages are so specific bespeaks the intelligence of their Creator.

I always talk to my plants as I work amongst them dead-heading or pruning, explaining why I'm doing what I'm doing ... but then maybe they already know from knowledge passed down within the seeds.

Certainly a fascinating and amazing subject for scientists to be studying, but didn't we gardeners already know that plants communicate with other species? Mine have communicated with me for many years.

Source: Creation Moments.
Reference: Discover, 4/02, pp. 46-51, Sharman Apt Russel, “Talking Plants.”

The The Secret Life of Plants is the book that opened my eyes to the incredible ability of plants to communicate. There is so much in Creation that we know nothing about.

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