Guttation on Plants: Explanation & Causes

Some will have wondered at the sight of drops on the leaves of indoor plants. In the wild, guttation on plants is often confused with dewdrops.

In some plants, such as the ivy (Epipremnum spec.) – such drops can be observed more often. In the following, we will explain exactly what this liquid is and why this process takes place in the first place.

What is guttation in plants?

Guttation is the process by which the plant releases a liquid through special glands on its leaves. These usually sit on the leaf edges and leaf tips of the plants and are called hydathodes in technical jargon. The liquid released is the sap from the vascular tissue of the plants, the so-called xylem. This juice is mainly composed of water, sugar and various minerals. In addition, water-soluble pesticides can be found in this liquid if the plant has been treated with them. Another distinguishing feature can be white crusts of mineral salts or sugars that remain on the leaves after the drops have dried. Below we have listed a few more examples of houseplants where guttation drops on the leaves are commonly observed:

• tree friend (Philodendron spec.)
• window leaf (monstera spec.)
• lucky feather (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
• arrow sheet (Alocasia spec.), including from das elephant ear (Alocasia macrorrhizos)
• orchid (Orchidaceae)
• Dieffenbachia (Dieffenbachia spec.)

In the field, for example, the guttation drops can fuchsias (fuchsia spec.), strawberries (Fragaria spec.), dem lady's mantle (Alchemilla spec.), the Nasturtium (tropaeolum spec.) or horsetail (equisetum spec.) are noticed.

Tip: There bees and other insects that ingest guttation droplets from outdoor plants, it is important to use crop protection products and substrates that do not have a harmful effect on them.

Why do the leaves of some plants drip?

It is important to know that the transport of substances from the root to the shoot tips works primarily through the evaporation of water from the leaf: through the water evaporation creates a suction upwards, which allows for the subsequent flow of the liquid and thus the increased water absorption of the roots in the soil leads. There are various reasons for the discharge of guttation drops. In principle, however, guttation takes place when transpiration through the stomata on the leaf surface cannot take place, or only to a very limited extent. This is either the case at night, when the plant's stomata are closed, or when moisture can no longer be released into the environment through transpiration. The latter occurs because the humidity is too high, while at the same time the soil is still very damp and warmer than the surroundings. This often occurs in greenhouses or conservatories, for example, which are not sufficiently ventilated after watering and have warm temperatures. So can also tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and paprika (capsicum) guttation occur along the leaf margins.

In order to maintain the flow of water and thus the transport of minerals in the plant, the xylem sap is now released via the glandular cells of the leaves. This happens, among other things, with the help of the root pressure, which is caused by the concentration gradient in the root. However, the guttation can also be actively controlled by the plant by transporting mineral salts to the outside and allowing water to flow in. This also creates a water suction from the root to the shoot tips. With this method, the plant can excrete excess substances - it is a kind of detoxification process.
Guttation drops should not be confused with sticky drops on the leaves of your plants - these can be a sign of an infestation aphids (Aphidoidea) indicate.

Can you prevent guttation on houseplants?

When indoor plants drip onto a piece of furniture that needs to be wiped down repeatedly to To avoid damage, you're probably looking for a way to increase the guttation impede. Perhaps you have already noticed a connection between your watering behavior and the guttation of your plants. To avoid guttation, it makes sense to water in the morning or during the day, but not in the evening. Also, there is less chance of dripping when the water is given more regularly but smaller amounts. Because the soil is not overly wet. Waterlogging is thereby avoided.

Important: If you have small children or pets in the household, you may want to give guttation a serious thought. Because after an application of plant protection products and at poisonous houseplants the sap can also become dangerous. In this case, the crop should be placed out of the reach of children and animals, in such a way that neither drops fall on the ground nor the plant can be touched directly.

What is the difference between guttation and dewdrops?

In contrast to guttation drops, dew drops are caused by purely external influences. So it's not a liquid that comes out of the plant. Due to the drop in temperature at night, the air can no longer absorb water vapor after a certain point. The temperature at which the surrounding air is completely saturated with water vapor is called the dew point temperature. However, when it gets even colder, condensation takes place, whereby the water vapor changes from the gaseous to the liquid state. Small drops of water form on plants and other surfaces during condensation.

As already mentioned at the beginning, guttation can be used, for example, with the ivy to be observed. Find out everything about the popular houseplant in our article.