What a Plant Knows

Daniel Chamovitz is Director of the Manna Center for Plant Biosciences at Tel Aviv University in Israel. His career has been marked by groundbreaking discoveries in the biology of plants, with his research published in the leading journals. This is his first book.

A captivating journey into the inner lives of plants – from the colours they see to the schedules they keep.How does a Venus flytrap know when to snap shut? Can a fern get jet lag? Do roses remember the romance of springtime?In What a Plant Knows, renowned biologist Daniel Chamovitz presents a beguiling exploration of how plants experience our shared Earth – in terms of sight, smell, touch, hearing, memory, and even awareness. Combining cutting-edge research with lively storytelling, he explains the intimate details of plant behaviour, from how a willow tree knows when its neighbours have been commandeered by an army of ravenous beetles to why an avocado ripens when you give it the company of a banana in a bag (it’s the pheromones). And he settles the debate over whether the beloved basil on your kitchen windowsill cares whether you play Led Zeppelin or Bach.Whether you are a green thumb, a science buff, a vegetarian, or simply a nature lover, this rare, inside look at the life of plants will surprise and delight.

A captivating journey into the inner lives of plants - from the colours they see to the schedules they keep