Sensitive Plant

About Sensitive Plant

The Sensitive Plant, also known as Cat's Claw Brier or Nuttall's Sensitive Briar, is a fascinating and hardy perennial that adds both novelty and beauty to the prairie landscape. Growing 1 to 2 feet tall with a sprawling habit, it is most famous for its 'sensitive' bipinnate leaves that fold inward when touched or during the night. In late spring and summer, it produces striking, globe-shaped pink flowers that look like tiny pom-poms, adorned with yellow-tipped stamens. These blooms are a magnet for various bees, including bumblebees and sweat bees, while the seeds provide food for quail and other birds. Native to dry, sandy prairies and open woodlands from the central U.S. south to Texas, it is exceptionally drought-tolerant and thrives in full sun and well-drained, sandy or rocky soils. Its stems are armed with small, recurved prickles, giving it the 'Cat's Claw' name and providing some deer resistance. This plant is a wonderful conversation piece for a rock garden or a dry prairie restoration, offering unique interactive foliage and vibrant summer color.