Flower profile
Sensitive plant
Mimosa pudica
Sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica) is a flowering plant in the Fabaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly February–December across the U.S.
Sensitive plant is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. In Hawaii it's most often seen in bloom in February–December.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Hawaii
Quick look
Mimosa pudica is a creeping annual or perennial flowering plant of the pea/legume family Fabaceae. It is often grown for its curiosity value: the sensitive compound leaves quickly fold inward and droop when touched or shaken and re-open a few minutes later. For this reason, this species is commonly cited as an example of rapid plant movement.
- It belongs to the Fabaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual, perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 4 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as not native to Hawaii. NatureServe
- In Hawaii, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in February–December. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,997 research-grade sightings of it in Hawaii, ranking #17 among the 118 flowers on our Hawaii list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
In Hawaii, most flowering sightings come in February–December.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. NatureServe
- Hawaii
- Not listed Not on Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Hawaii. HAR 13-107
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records sensitive plant in 4 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Virginia.
Hawaii counties with USDA records: Hawaii, Honolulu, Kauai, Maui.
Names, range and relatives
Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Hawaii: Introduced; Lower 48 states: Introduced; Pacific Basin (excluding Hawaii): Introduced; Puerto Rico: Native; U.S. Virgin Islands: Native.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 8 counties across 3 states; the most are in Hawaii (4), Florida (3), Palau (1).
Other Mimosa on Bloomipedia (3): Sunshine mimosa, Littleleaf sensitive-briar, Catclaw briar.
More from the Fabaceae family (114 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Lupines, White clover, Red clover, Eastern redbud, Purple crownvetch, Bird's-foot trefoil, Partridge pea, White sweetclover.
More Hawaii flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile MIPU8.
- iNaturalist, Mimosa pudica: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Mimosa pudica (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Hawaii: Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife.
- Hawaii: Hawaii noxious weed list (HAR 4-68).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Mimosa pudica (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Daryl Nolan via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.