What are those droplets on my plant’s leaves?

Noticed little droplets hanging from your plant’s leaves? It might look like your plant is crying or sweating, but there’s usually another reason.

Some plants produce droplets or ‘tears’ on their leaves because of a natural process called guttation. But what is guttation exactly? In this blog, we’ll explain what those droplets mean, whether they are harmful and how to deal with them.

In short, guttation is how a plant releases excess water, minerals and other substances. These secretions show up as tiny droplets at the tips of the leaves. Luckily, it’s completely harmless for the plant. Your floor might disagree though, because guttation can sometimes cause stains or watermarks.

It usually happens late at night or early in the morning, when humidity is high and the roots are still actively absorbing water. Most of the time, it shows up the day after watering.

Guttation is common in the plant world. It happens with both houseplants and outdoor plants. In our plant nursery, we see it often in Alocasia, Monstera and banana plants.

Guttation and dew are not the same. Dew forms when warm air cools down and water from the air condenses onto surfaces like leaves. Guttation droplets, on the other hand, come from inside the plant.

An easy way to tell the difference: with dew, you’ll see droplets on all kinds of plants, even ones that never show guttation. With guttation, it’s usually just a few droplets on the tips of certain leaf types.

Guttation is completely natural and shows up in many different plants. It’s usually harmless and can even help your plant by getting rid of extra water and minerals.

Some common houseplants that are known for guttation include:

• Alocasia

• Banana plant

• Monstera

• Epipremnum

• Aglaonema

• Caladium

• Colocasia

• Xanthosoma

Guttation is caused by root pressure. When roots absorb water, it’s pushed up through the plant’s tissues and out to the leaves. Normally, this water would just evaporate and help raise humidity in your home.

But when the leaf pores (called stomata) are closed, like at night, the water has nowhere to go. That’s when it builds up and forms droplets.

Guttation can happen if your plant has taken up more water than it needs and it can’t evaporate fast enough. This often happens when the humidity is high or the stomata are closed.

Besides water, guttation can also release minerals and nutrients. Once the water evaporates, it sometimes leaves behind a white or crusty residue on the leaves.

You’ll see clear droplets on the leaf tips, usually in the morning. Sometimes they leave light rings on the leaves or marks on the surface below the plant.

Now that you understand what guttation is and why it occurs, let's see what you can do to ensure your houseplants stay healthy.

Only certain plants show guttation, like Alocasia and Monstera. Others might never do it at all, and that’s completely fine.

High humidity makes guttation more likely. If you’re seeing a lot of droplets, you might want to check and adjust the humidity in your home.

Too much water can increase guttation. Make sure you water only when needed and let the top layer of soil dry out between waterings.

The pores on your plant’s leaves need light to stay open. Give your plant enough daylight, especially in the morning. Without light, the pores stay closed longer, which makes guttation more likely.

If you notice white crusts on the leaves, it could mean a build up of minerals. Try watering your plant with rainwater or distilled water every now and then to prevent this.

If guttation is causing water damage, place a waterproof tray or mat under your pots. That way your floor stays safe from marks or stains.

Guttation is a normal and harmless part of plant life. As long as you give your plant the right care – light, water and nutrients – there’s nothing to worry about.

Still not sure if your plant’s droplets are normal? Feel free to get in touch with us.