Western Tourists' Fascination with Vietnam's 'Shameplant' Goes Viral

Something completely ordinary to one person can be a brand-new experience to another. For instance, Vietnamese people feel deep excitement when they see snow or red maple leaves for the first time. Similarly, foreign tourists in Vietnam often experience “wow” moments over everyday local sights. Recently, a video clip went viral on social media for this exact reason. It shows two foreign travelers sitting by the roadside in Ha Giang, playfully interacting with a simple shameplant. Two tourists mischievously playing with the shameplant. Source: @hnghgiang1 In the clip, the two tourists gently touch each branch of the shameplant with their hands. Every time the leaves fold up and droop, they burst into delighted laughter. To them, it looks like a small magic trick by nature. They do not just try it once. Instead, the travelers patiently touch one branch after another. They observe the plant closely and use their phones to record the special moment. Their excited, surprised expressions quickly made many online viewers laugh along with them. The two tourists mischievously mess with the plant and tease each other, much to the delight of the audience. Then, they even teased each other, much to the delight of viewers. Source: @hnghgiang1 To most Vietnamese people, the shameplant is an incredibly familiar sight. It grows wildly along roadsides, in grassy fields, and on empty plots of land. However, it is a completely novel experience for tourists. They are seeing a plant that actually “shrinks” when touched for the very first time. The video clip did more than just delight netizens with the tourists’ reactions. It also evoked fond childhood memories for many locals. Consequently, within a short time, the video gathered millions of views and thousands of comments. People widely reshared it across multiple social media channels. Netizens left a variety of colorful comments on the post: “Even the wild plants have to entertain tourists now!” “I saw this plant a lot during my childhood, and its flowers are beautiful. Now it is rare, and I haven’t seen one in a long time.” “When I was little, I would go out and play with it whenever I felt bored.” “Dear tourists, this plant can actually cure many diseases too!” “I messed with it all the time as a kid. At noon, after turning the straw, I would sit by the bush for half an hour playing with it from one cluster to another.” “Sometimes we just need a few carefree moments like that.” “Enjoy playing with it now! Once you go back overseas, you won’t find it anywhere.” “Did you guys seriously book plane tickets all the way here just to play with a plant?” Notably, many viewers felt curious and asked whether the plant does not grow in the tourists’ home countries. The answer is simple: it does not. The shameplant does not grow everywhere. It is only common in nations with a tropical climate. The shameplant is also known as the bashful plant, the sensitive plant, or hàm tu thảo. It bears the scientific name Mimosa pudica and belongs to the pea family. The most remarkable feature of this plant is its rapid reaction to external stimuli. With just a gentle touch or a slight shake, the compound leaves immediately fold up and droop down. This action serves as a self-defense mechanism. It protects the plant from leaf-eating animals or harsh environmental factors. After a few minutes, the stimulus fades, and the leaves slowly reopen as normal. Many Vietnamese people consider it a wild weed. However, the shameplant actually originates from South and Central America. It later spread to numerous tropical countries, including Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe