Mimosa pudica is a sensitive plant native to South America and has spread widely, becoming a serious weed throughout the world's tropical regions. However, this weed can be cultivated as a ground cover or green manure and has been identified as having potential for phytoremediation of arsenic-contaminated areas in Thailand. Occasionally, Mimosa pudica is also grown as an ornamental plant. In Guadeloupe, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, Brazil, India, Malaysia, and the Philippines, Mimosa pudica is an important source providing pollen for Italian honeybees (Apis mellifera) and other bees. Additionally, Mimosa pudica offers good health benefits and has been used as an ingredient in traditional medicine in various countries. In Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, the plant is used to treat insomnia and as a poultice to treat swelling. In South America, it is considered an emetic and is also used to treat diarrhea and dysentery. In Ayurvedic medicine, this plant is used as an anti-asthmatic, aphrodisiac, analgesic, and antidepressant.

Mimosa pudica is typically found growing along roadsides, vacant lots, grasslands, garbage dumps, and disturbed areas in many tropical regions, from sea level up to an altitude of about 1,300 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l.). This plant can grow in various soil types, including low-fertility soil, is capable of tolerating waterlogging and resisting drought, and the soil pH is in the range of 6–7 and tolerates 5–7.5. It prefers a position with full sun (about 6–8 hours per day) but is intolerant of shade. It can grow well in areas with average annual rainfall in the range of 1,000–2,000 mm, and annual daytime temperatures in the range of 22–28 °C, but can tolerate 10–32 °C.

• Root (Akar) Taproot, yellowish-white color, long, strong. It has a distinctive odor resembling the jengkol fruit.

• Stem (Batang) Cylindrical, highly branched, hairy, thorny along the segments, woody at the base, reddish-brown or purple color. The thorns are about 3–4 mm long, dense, slightly curved, hard, and very sharp.

• Leaves (Daun) Compound, bipinnate, each leaf consists of 15–20 pairs of leaflets, alternate arrangement, dark green, hairy, linear-oblong shape, smooth margin. When touched, the leaflets quickly close (sensitive) and also close at night.

• Flower (Bunga) Round, pom-pom shaped, composed of hundreds of thin petal-like filaments, purplish-pink color with four prominent stamens. The calyx is small, and the corolla has four lobes and is about 2 mm long. The stalk, 12–25 mm long, emerges from the leaf axils, densely hairy, and bears thorns. Flowers are clustered (5–8 flowers are found in the leaf axil).

• Fruit (Buah) Flat, oblong pod, grooved, spiny edges, containing 1–5 seeds, green and turning brown when ripe.

• Seed (Biji) Light brown, flat, diameter 2.5–3 mm, and finely granular surface.

• Propagation is done generatively using seeds. Before sowing, soak the seeds for 12–24 hours in warm water to accelerate germination.

• Treats insomnia, seizures, diarrhea, dysentery, tumors, wound healing, bruises, snake bites, cancer treatment, diabetes, hepatitis, hemorrhoids, jaundice, hypertension, obesity, urinary tract infections, boils, chickenpox, arthritis, swelling, relieves asthma, expectorant, treats sore throat and hoarseness, used as a mouthwash to reduce toothache, is emetic, antidepressant, diuretic, aphrodisiac, anthelmintic (dewormer), antioxidant, and immunomodulator.

• C-glycosylflavones (2-O-rhamnosyl-orientin and 2-O-rhamnosyl-isoorientin), mimosine (N-(3-alanyl)-3-hydroxy-4-pyridone), flavonoids, phytosterols, alkaloids, amino acids, tannins, glycosides, tubulin, crocetin dimethyl ester, turgorine, terpenoids, and quinones.