The secrets of trees and plants many of us do not know, even now. This article makes an effort to unravel such secrets. We do not think so much when we damage trees and plants. Hopefully, this will give us a hint of respecting them.
How do plants & trees communicate with each other?
Plants communicate through their senses. In other words (by sending signals) through roots or somehow we learn about that method used now. An observation in this area indicates that plants also use this method of communicating with clicking sounds.
Can plants & trees move from one place to another?
The answer is yes for a few & no for others. Yes, because these creatures travel to places even from the mother trees as a seed. That is why we come across many types of trees where they do not belong in general.
No, because they cannot move without human & other living creatures’ intervention. In the form of removing them from the roots and replanting them to another place. It may also happen that a small stem of a tree fell due to a heavy cyclone or a storm. It eventually ends up in the right place where it could propagate itself and start rooting.
One could imagine them like elastic creatures that do not need to move their bodies by lifting their roots over the ground and then walking like a human. They extend their roots, and they still reach pretty far.
Please note that the creepers travel long distances within the forests as well. Although the tree cannot lift its roots and start to walk, its roots travel distances. They also have a good communication network with other plants and trees.
Consciousness towards plants and trees is crucial as we move ahead
We are moving towards the future. We must give up the idea that trees and plants are nothing but just something a person uses or abuses. Plants have life, feel the pain, have families, cry, and feel emotions. So let us advance our thinking.
We are taking its life away because it does not appear to be crying or afraid. Also, we agree that we consume Plants, their fruits, and vegetables because that is our sustenance.
In the same way, we also consume meat. It is easy to blame others for eating meat. Let us not forget that we are also taking life when we eat vegetables and fruits.
Do trees and plants feel the pain?
Yes, they do feel the pain. Plants can actually cry.
An article by livescience reports an amazing action taken by a tree when a tree is under an attack by some microorganisms that can cause disease. We get to learn that a leaf sends an emergency signal to the roots.
The roots react and release a specific acid that attracts good bacteria that can benefit the tree. This research is not a new observation it’s more than 10 years old; in fact, it was in 2008 that makes it 13 years old.
A well-known and simple experiment on tree leaves
The more simple explanation that we can present is that cutting a banyan tree leaf pours out a white milky liquid that is sticky. Since the leaf has left a tree injured, it oozes this liquid out. It dries the wound in a day or two and changes the colour to dark brown or blackish.
A well-known and simple experiment on tree leaves
The more simple explanation that we can present is that cutting a banyan tree leaf pours out a white milky liquid that is sticky. Since the leaf has left a tree injured, it oozes this liquid out. It dries the wound in a day or two and changes the colour to dark brown or blackish.
Even when the tree’s stem gets bruised, it releases a liquid or a substance that helps heal the wound faster. It is a tough thing that many of us will not have imagined. However, it has come to light that even pulling out of a root can make a vegetable scream or cry. We cannot hear or see does not change the severity.
Do trees have emotions? Plants do have feelings. They feel afraid and sense danger. If plants did not have senses, how could they sense danger?
Three known experiments in the field of plant intelligence
Experiment no 1 : Italian scientist Stefano Mancuso’s experiment on Plants sheds light on the memory of the plants. He also mentions, ‘Plants can process information and make decisions, all in the absence of brain’ – Stefano Mancuso Studies plant intelligence.
‘Plants intelligence is manifested in their extremely advanced sensitivity. They can detect over 15 different stimuli, such as light, gravity, electrical and magnetic fields, chemical radiance, heavy metals, and others.’ The European Commission has an article on it.
Experiment no 2. : ‘Cleve Backster, a former CIA person in 1966, performed an experiment using a polygraph machine on a plant. He published his research in 1968. The results were astounding. Contrary to popular belief, we learn impressive things about plants; many of our vegetarian friends may not know.’
‘He experimented on plants with a polygraph machine testing them. When watered, Cleve also observed an extraordinary behaviour output of a polygraph test on plants. Notable points also include when he intended to burn the leaf. This result gave him proof that plants could identify and behave in a particular manner to his thoughts.’
It reveals through his experiments that plants can sense fear & intentions. The following two scenes, a polygraph test on the experiment on shrimp to be put in boiling water and the polygraph readings of 3 plants that witnessed this incident, are notable.
This conclusion proves that an abrupt or unexpected death around them might draw out a strong response from the plants.
Experiment no 3. : The scientists from the University of Tel Aviv found out that plants throw out a high-frequency distress sound in certain situations (environmental stress). In our case earlier, we learned it is a distress signal when they are under distress.
We also come across an experiment of a tomato stem & a tobacco plant. When cutting a tomato stem, it emitted 25 ultrasonic distress sounds. This was also a story in Dailymail news.
What determines if a living being has its senses or not?
We have sensory organs like eyes, skin, ears, nose, and tongue. So we as humans are aware of such sensory organs because we have them. We can relate to animals and birds since we have seen them around us.
The Best example is in Humans that if one of our senses fails or stops working, we are slowly able to use another sensory organ in a high capacity. For this reason, we get to watch and hear people’s life stories. One of them was Ben Underwood, a Blind boy, able to see through making clicking sounds.
Some people’s sense of smell increases or becomes more accurate than others. People can tell when they touch the surface and understand what it could be.
What is a sense?
The following is what we get as a definition on Google search ‘a faculty by which the body perceives an external stimulus; one of the faculties of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch.’
Can a living being feel pain without the senses?
The feeling of pain is subjective based on each situation. We do not have extensive research on all living organisms from start to end. A slow and steady advancement has gone through over the years. It is in terms of what benefits us as humans, which is what we know & connected to the Ecosystem.
International Association for the Study of Pain has defined it as ‘An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage.’
Should pain and its intensity be the criteria for consuming it or not?
The effort to understand it entirely has not been the significant priority or research, which does not indicate that it does not exist. Some people are unable to feel any pain. We do not take them for granted and harm people because they do not feel the pain.
We know that congenital insensitivity to pain exists in humans. However, we give more importance to humans, animals, and birds that we see, have movements and hear their voices.
What do our intellectuals say about plants, pain & our menu?
While doing our research, we come across several things. We can selectively choose to close our eyes on what we perceive as moral or immoral.
When we do not water a plant, it responds by shrivelling leaves, and the stem bends itself. When these plants are watered again and taken proper care of with manure, their stem looks healthy and starts to grow nicely back again.
Due to lack of water or food, human beings would become frail, and lack of nutrition makes us shrink and even more feeble. The same way we humans do, after many days of hunger and thirst, when we get sustenance, we tend to feel better in a couple of hours itself.
What do we learn from Suzzane Simrad about the trees?
Professor of Forest Ecology (The University of British Columbia) Now, we have proof that we never had. Trees help each other as well. Those who think plants & vegetables are ok to be eaten and used to create furniture and other valuable items have something to give a second thought.
What do some of the well-known people in the field of science tell us about the trees?
- Suzzane Simrad Professor of Forest Ecology (The University of British Columbia)
- Richard Karban Ecologist from UC Davies Department of Entomology and Nematology
- Valentin Hammoudi Researcher in Plants Applied Genetics
- Camille Defrenne Ecologist that specializes in Plant Fungal Symbiosis
It is truly the secret life of trees. Trees identify their kids too and even help them. By trees having kids, we mean their ripe and fall seedlings, and tiny young saplings come up near them. Sometimes they also go far away due to wind and other living creatures’ interventions.
Valentin Hammoudi explains to us in his Ted-Ed presentation video how plants use small thorns, spines and prickles to save themselves from bugs. Thorns or spines prick herbivores, and it discourages them. Hence, they would leave such plants alone.
- A specific plant leaf and fibre rubbed off makes people scratch their bodies.
- For this reason, after eating certain citrus fruits such as pineapple or kiwis, we can feel irritation due to the Raphides.
- A Pineapple not cleaned thoroughly can cause ulcers in our mouth.
- Valentin Further explains to us three main ways they communicate. Through airborne signals, Hormones, and electrical signals.
| Plants communication Signals | Physical Defense by plants | External help for the plants and trees |
| Airborne | Thorns | Inviting Wasps to get rid of caterpillars |
| Hormones | Prickles & Spines | |
| Electrical signals | Releasing irritants |
As time passes, we advance our studies, research, and observation on plant intelligence. It would be interesting to see what eye-opening facts we could get to hear about trees & plants.
