Plants are quite different from animals. Animals have eyes, ears, noses and instincts that help them survive. They have a level of intelligence that helps them perceive their environment and respond accordingly. However, we often see plants as organisms at the bottom of the food chain and are nothing more than silent solitary organisms. This could not be further from the truth. In fact, some plants are known to behave like animals in several ways. Let’s look at five of those amazing plants.

1. Dodder Vine

Dodder Vine is a parasitic plant which is unable to produce its own food and has no roots. To feed, this plant is like a bloodsucking animal. How does it do that one might ask? Well, it feeds off other plants and drains out of all the plants’ nutrients, using its teeth-like probes. This plant selects one host plant over another by sniffing out the chemical scents that I released by the leaves of plants. It doesn’t have a nose but it sure acts like an animal with a sharp nose hunting down its prey.

2. Desmodium Gyrans

The Desmodium gyrans, commonly called the telegraph plant is also referred to as the dancing plant. This plant is widely found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China and India. Well, dancing is a skill that many people possess but certainly, a dancing plant is a surprising phenomenon. The short leaflets jolt up and down and rotate on their axes when they are exposed to the right amount of light. This light induced movement of the leaves is to help increase absorption of light. We often see plants react to touch or light but not sound. This plant also moves incessantly when music and high pitched sounds are played.

3. Venus Flytrap

The Venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant found on the East coast of the United States in the subtropical wetlands. This plant literally catches its prey. This vicious plant can catch prey faster than you can blink. Yes, you read right. As the insect draws near the open leaves and brushes against this plant’s hairs, it closes and locks the insect inside where it is digested. The plant only digests after it determines if the insect has nutritional value and is worth consumption.

4. Pitcher Plant

Animals are known to set traps to catch their prey, but can you believe that this plant also has this ability? The pitcher plant is a carnivorous plant. The leaves have evolved into funnel shapes with hood-like structures covering the openings. Simple nectar around the hole, along with the plant’s color and aroma, draws insects into its simple trap. When the insect approaches, it walks on the slick aperture and tumbles within, where it eventually perishes and is digested.

5. Acacia Trees

Acacia trees of South Africa gained the interest of scientists who realized that this plant is intelligent. During a severe drought, the acacia tree was thriving and was being fed on by large numbers of kudus. It was realized that many of these kudus died. Investigations found that the tree produced a high concentration of the chemical, tanni, which affected the kudus. This action was taken by the Acacia tree to prevent the kudus from chopping its leaves. The tree is believed to also chemically communicate with the surrounding trees to do the same in an effort to protect their family.