We talked about how a fungal network connects plants underground. But did you know it allows them to communicate?

Specifically, they exchange sugars, and chemical and electrical signals, with each other.

The largest trees are now known to “mother” the surrounding forest. They give their sugars back to the entire soil community, to support neighboring plants and trees.

They’ve even been shown to preferentially identify young trees within their own species, and send them a larger serving of sugars via the fungal network.

And, plants and trees have learned to communicate through the air.

Many studies have shown that, when attacked by insects or disease, they release distress hormones to other plants, as well as defensive compounds.

Pine trees, for instance, when preyed on by caterpillars, send out pheromones that attract wasps to the forest, which prey on the caterpillars.

Acacia trees, when eaten by grazing giraffes, release ethylene gas, which prompts other acacias to flood their leaves with bitter tannins. Giraffes have learned to graze downwind...

Traditional lumber practices have removed large trees, with the idea that it allows other trees to access their sunlight. This new research may require rethinking how we maintain healthy forests.

This isn’t to say that trees can think—at least not in the way that humans define sentience.

But they certainly have a type of language that has allowed them to thrive for millions of years. We’re only now learning to understand it.