Brand new information I’ve discovered: scientists have done research using over 60 sagebrush clones* and determined that the props or clones from that individual plant responded to each other’s smell more than that of plants that were “strangers” ie within the species but not one of the 60.

DISCLAIMERS:

a) First I am just a fan of science, not a scientist. The two sources for this blog are: New Phytologist (2016) 211: 1393–1401 doi: 10.1111/nph.13982 and notes taken from an online course: Introduction to Botany, Catherine Kleier, Ph.D. link to the course

b) If you’re a scientist you’ll probably not like this bc I don’t know or follow all the rules. If you’re not a scientist you may not like it bc I follow too many rules. But, if you’re like me and just like to learn then this is for you.

Plants warn each other about predators via smell.

How do plants smell?

Well the botanists were able to obtain the world’s most powerful microscope and determined that all plants’ leaves are covered with little tiny nasal like structures…. plant nostrils…. Okay I made that up, but I wish. What they actually did was put plastic bags on the leaves and clip them with scissors collecting the air around the leaves and used fancy machines to analyze it deducing that plants do in fact detect these plant smells/aka VOCs(*1 )and use them to identify each other. This clipping with scissors mimicked herbivory(*2)in the wild and was used by the plants to let related plants in the area know that it was under attack, thus allowing them to deploy defenses etc. The scientists found that the chemical compounds released by the plants were specific to different species, and even to different clones within a species. One clone has its own specific smell and uses it to help defend from predators and other beneficial plant functions.(*3) So one chemotype(*4 )gives off chemical compounds “Ab” while a different chemotype even found within the same geographical area as well as within the same species will give off different chemicals or different ratios of the chemicals: “AAb, Ba, or even GH”*5.

So essentially your plant gives off its on specific aroma and if you create little plant babies/clones yourself by propping said plant and share them with someone else then brought it back around the original I bet they’d remember each other bc of their smell.

* A clone is an exact genetic replica. In the wild it can be multiple “plants/trees/etc” with one common root system and genetic makeup. This can be props taken from a plant artificially as well. OT: re/anthuriumtrade overly used phrase. Please know it is just a fancy word for prop and denotes zero value by itself and can by assigned by anyone to any plant.

The term used by botanists mainly to talk about plants from a specific collection, examples:

correct usage:

Botany fan A: “hey, what’s that clone of Aspen trees that is famous bc it is the largest living organim in the world?”…

Botany fan B (the kinda pretentious one) “oh, come on A that’s the ‘Pando’ clone of Populous tremuloides in Utah.”

*1 VOCs: plant farts, human farts, cow farts, toxic gas or other volatile organic compounds. Look for low voc products if you want less chemicals in your stuff.

*2 herbivory: the act of eating plants, super fun to say. I suggest using it today in random conversation with a non-plant person.

*3 The article sourced at the top of this piece explains this in the introduction very well.

*4 chemotype: fun newly made up science word like phenotype that denotes differing individuals based on their VOC profile.. aka plant smell.

*5(I made all those abbreviations up bc the actual names of these compounds would be remembered by nobody: Thujone and Camphor were what was found in the sagebrush study.