Hey You, Fancy Plants!

Most people know I enjoy growing plants, although I seem to have little skill for it. However, I have found another plant I would dearly love to attempt growing - and should be fairly me-proof. All it needs is a pot to grow in, sunshine on a windowsill and watering when the soil is dry.

Introducing: Codariocalyx motorius. The Semaphore Plant.

"This plant is famous for its movement of small lateral leaflets at speeds rapid enough to be perceivable with the naked eye. This is a strategy to maximise sunlight by tracking the sun. Each leaf is equipped with a hinge that permits it to be moved in order to receive more sunlight, but the weight of these leaves means the plant must expend a lot of energy in moving it. To optimise movement of large leaves, each large leaf has two small leaflets at its base. These move constantly along an elliptical path, sampling the intensity of sunlight, and directing the large leaf to the area of most intensity." From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codariocalyx_motorius