Plants are much smarter than we give them credit for and even have tiny brains that decide the right moment to germinate, according to a new study.
Researchers have found a group of cells function as a "brain" for plant embryos which can predict the weather and change their behaviour accordingly.
Previous studies have shown plants can hunt out water and even learn from bad experiences, just like animals.
A plant's decision about when to germinate is one of the most important it will make during its life.
Too soon, and the plant may be damaged by harsh winter conditions; too late, and it may be out-competed by other, more precocious plants.
In a study published in the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), scientists from the University of Birmingham have shown that a small group of cells within the plant embryo operate in a similar way to the human brain.
The'decision-making centre' in a plant called Arabidopsis, or thale cress, contains two types of cell - one that promotes seed dormancy, and one that promotes germination.
These two groups of cells communicate with each other by moving hormones, a similar mechanism to that used by our own brains when we decide whether or not to move.
The scientists used mathematical modelling to show that communication between the separated elements controls the plant's sensitivity to its environment.