# Can plants feel pain?



## rapidfox1 (Sep 13, 2010)

I know this question might sound stupid but since plants are living creatures I want to know if they can feel pain.


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## Duke of Prunes (Jul 20, 2009)

They don't have a nervous system. Sure they can react to mechanical/chemical damage (if you pinch the top of a plant, it will seal the hole in the top of the stem and reroute nutrients/hormones, for example), but there's no way they could experience it as the sensation of 'pain' (aka unpleasantly intense stimulation of particular receptors, which plants don't have). Plants are not conscious in any way.


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## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

No. 

Also, I just gave my largest houseplant a giant haircut, and he looks SUPER handsome now.


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## Marakunda (Jun 7, 2011)

I heard they could scream, but human ears aren't capable of hearing it.

Or something like that....


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## fatelogic (Jun 21, 2011)

I don't believe they feel pain like we do because they cannot move like we do. Though they have “sensors” because they can “feel” when a limb gets cut, for example. Or when the sun hits them. Once the sun hits a new plant, there is a plethora of chemical reactions that happen. Also, If I'm not mistaken, getting trimmed is good for them. I believe that makes their DNA multiply or something along those lines. 

Now I just remembered that they do "sense" an attack and let out this "smell" so other plants near by can "get ready" by changing some chemicals inside them. 

But no, they don't feel pain.


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## anonymid (Oct 16, 2005)

Skylaishot said:


> I heard they could scream, but human ears aren't capable of hearing it.
> 
> Or something like that....


_"If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason."_


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## Cat Montgomery (Jul 31, 2011)

No. End of thread.


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## ugh1979 (Aug 27, 2010)

Cat Montgomery said:


> No. End of thread.


/\ This.


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## Pangur Ban (Feb 2, 2011)

Skylaishot said:


> I heard they could scream, but human ears aren't capable of hearing it.
> 
> Or something like that....


I heard that too. :stu


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## ugh1979 (Aug 27, 2010)

Pangur Ban said:


> I heard that too. :stu


:doh


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## CeilingStarer (Dec 29, 2009)

They could have a consciousness we don't understand.


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## avoidobot3000 (Aug 22, 2010)

I've always wanted to convince a vegetarian that plants have feelings too. Sidenote: I know a vegetarian that eats fish. How is that vegetarian?!


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## Losm (Jan 23, 2011)

Duke of Prunes said:


> They don't have a nervous system. Sure they can react to mechanical/chemical damage (if you pinch the top of a plant, it will seal the hole in the top of the stem and reroute nutrients/hormones, for example), but there's no way they could experience it as the sensation of 'pain' (aka unpleasantly intense stimulation of particular receptors, which plants don't have). Plants are not conscious in any way.


^ This!

So basically, nope.


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## huh (Mar 19, 2007)

No.



avoidobot3000 said:


> I've always wanted to convince a vegetarian that plants have feelings too. Sidenote: I know a vegetarian that eats fish. How is that vegetarian?!


Yeah, there seem to be a lot of people that are a little confused about what a vegetarian is and what meat is. My parents and grandparents both assumed I would eat fish. When I told them I don't eat fish their response was, "But it's not meat, it's fish". Like it's a class all its own, lol. I also come across a lot of people that say they are vegetarians but then go on to add that they only eat chicken sometimes. Last time I checked, chicken was a meat too :con


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## ugh1979 (Aug 27, 2010)

huh said:


> No.
> 
> Yeah, there seem to be a lot of people that are a little confused about what a vegetarian is and what meat is. My parents and grandparents both assumed I would eat fish. When I told them I don't eat fish their response was, "But it's not meat, it's fish". Like it's a class all its own, lol. I also come across a lot of people that say they are vegetarians but then go on to add that they only eat chicken sometimes. Last time I checked, chicken was a meat too :con


Part time vegetarians?  Nothing wrong with that though. It's a very healthy way to live.


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## randomprecision (Aug 19, 2011)

Finally, here is a reason not to mow the lawn. "I just can't listen to the screams anymore".

_concern increases tenfold among the loved ones....sudden quiet gathering appears....."we need to talk"_


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## hoddesdon (Jul 28, 2011)

Of course - that's where the screaming is coming from when I am frying mushrooms.


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## JimmyDeansRetartedCousin (Nov 28, 2009)

Last time I checked, beansprouts didn't have a well developed dorsal horn or cerebral cortex.


Maybe I should go organic?


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## alte (Sep 4, 2010)

pita said:


> No.
> 
> Also, I just gave my largest houseplant a giant haircut, and he looks SUPER handsome now.


:lol


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## xxLambyxx (Aug 2, 2011)

avoidobot3000 said:


> I've always wanted to convince a vegetarian that plants have feelings too. Sidenote: I know a vegetarian that eats fish. How is that vegetarian?!


A vegetarian only eats vegetables, no meat and no fish

A pestaterian is similar to a vegetarian, but eats fish

Most people say they are a vegetarian when actually, they are a pestaterian either because they didnt know there was another word, or realise the difference or because vegetarian is something that most people can understand. If someone said that they were a pestaterian, the majority of people wouldnt know what that meant


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## ColdTurkey (Aug 29, 2011)

I say it's possible but has not been observed, so probably not in this reality.


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## NeonSloaney (Jun 1, 2011)

Skylaishot said:


> I heard they could scream, but human ears aren't capable of hearing it.
> 
> Or something like that....


It seems like I remember something about Roald Dahl...


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