Six tables, white tablecloths, eighteen chairs, and on each table one speed dating candidate: a potted plant. As the human candidates arrive we greet them at the door, invite them and lead them to one of the dating seats. The two of us are dressed in white blouses and green aprons, suggesting a mixture of waitress and gardener.

Then, we welcome all participants with an introductory speech, raising their expectations and elucidating that today might be the first day of a new life—a life enriched by a new love relation.

Now, the vegetal and the human partners have time to speed date each other in three rounds. After each round the humans change place to meet another plant. We encourage them to establish first contact, get in touch, and communicate without words with their dating partner. Intense looks are exchanged, silent conversations are held. In the last round, the human partners stand in front of their favorite vegetal dating partner and voice their ideas and expectations about a romantic relationship, explore possible common interests, and unlock other issues. After this last dating round, each human participant fills out a brief form. They indicate if they found love at first sight and how serious they feel about sharing a life with the plant they were most attracted to.

Finally, we evaluate both the human and vegetal experiences, analyze preferences, mutual attraction and establish the perfect matches. These new vegetal-human lovers are then publicly announced and congratulated.

The lucky human participants who found a new love during the speed dating event may invite the new partner to travel home with them and live together.

The performance “Vegetal Speed Dating” is challenging the common understanding of plants as lower, immobile, non-sentient, and passive forms of being. It is commenting on the emergent field of plant neurobiology. The performance establishes a situation where interaction between vegetal and human worlds can be playfully explored. Our intervention bridges the gap between human and vegetal consciousness by suggesting a possible emerging love relationship between individuals across the kingdoms of plants and humans. The agency given to plants during the performance is inspired by scientific findings, but exceeds even the most daring understanding of vegetal capabilities. Plants are seen as having individual opinions and preferences when communicating with humans, and being able to fall in love.