The memory of plants

I really believe that plants have the ability to recognize "their home", and that this is the reason why they suffer so much from moving, especially the older ones that we have kept for many years in a place that was favorable to them. I had proof of this many years ago with my father's Dracaena; an experience that I will never forget.

My father had a Dracaena fragrans plant in his study. He had carefully cultivated it for years: it was beautiful, elegant and luxuriant. The plant was almost always there, in its place all year round. Only in the summer, when we went on holiday and the house was closed, all the plants in the apartment were moved to the garden under the leafy Holm Oak ( Quercus ilex ) - which is called “Clorinda”, like my grandmother - and which protected them from excessive sunlight. There they were entrusted to the gardener, who watered them regularly during our absence.

Once, when we returned from vacation, my father asked me to take the Dracaena back to its place in the study. When I went to pick it up, it looked very distressed and the leaves were all drooping, even though the soil was damp. I took the plant back to my father's study and continued with my chores. Shortly after, I returned to the study and, to my extreme surprise, I found the plant completely transformed: the leaves were tall and turgid again, and it was perfect in appearance. I felt a clear and very strong sensation; the plant had immediately recognized its place and was happy to have finally returned home.

Some time ago I had to take my Monkey Tail Cactus ( Hildewintera colademononis ) to the nursery, because they were doing some work on our balcony. I put the plant in the greenhouse, where it spent the whole winter; there it received excellent care and a favorable positioning, nevertheless it became sad.

When the work on the west facade was finally finished, the plant returned home. It had suffered a lot and was quite deteriorated compared to a year earlier. Fortunately, however, my Hildewintera proved to me that it was only homesick, because it immediately revived!