Trees are able to sense their own shape and actively straighten their trunks using specialized wood that functions like opposing muscles. While researchers previously confirmed that plants possess proprioception—the internal awareness of body position once thought unique to animals—the physical mechanisms driving these movements were not fully understood. Scientists with the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE) have now shown that this internal spatial sense regulates where dyn…
Key points
Opposing layers of tension wood generate counteracting forces that mimic the function of…: Opposing layers of tension wood generate counteracting forces that mimic the function of animal muscle systems.
Plants rely on proprioception to coordinate their physical posture and regulate where dyn…: Plants rely on proprioception to coordinate their physical posture and regulate where dynamic wood develops at the cellular level.
Uncovering these posture-regulating growth mechanisms could aid the development of strong…: Uncovering these posture-regulating growth mechanisms could aid the development of stronger forests, superior timber, and sturdier agricultural crops.
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- Date:
- October 31, 2026
- Source:
- INRAE - National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment
- Summary:
- Scientists have discovered that trees can sense their own shape and straighten their trunks using specialized wood that acts like opposing muscles. This remarkable ability helps trees maintain their posture and could lead to stronger forests, better timber, and more resilient crops.
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Trees have a remarkable ability to sense their own shape and adjust their growth to stay upright. This awareness of body position, known as proprioception, was once thought to exist only in animals. However, in 2012, researchers working with INRAE demonstrated that plants also possess this ability (Bastien R. et al., PNAS).
This internal sense allows plants to monitor their posture and make adjustments that help them grow as straight as possible (Moulia et al., Science). Although scientists had established that plants could detect their own shape, the biological processes responsible for turning that information into physical movement remained a mystery.
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