Q. I have never had a
problem with pests on my little leaf Cordia plant before. I found a small round
liquid balls on the edge of the leaf. What am I dealing with here?
problem with pests on my little leaf Cordia plant before. I found a small round
liquid balls on the edge of the leaf. What am I dealing with here?
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| Guttational water from Cordia. |
A. Great pictures and they
help a lot. It’s nothing to worry about but it’s very interesting so I want to
talk about it.
help a lot. It’s nothing to worry about but it’s very interesting so I want to
talk about it.
I am taking an educated guess that this is water released
from small openings on the leaf edges called hydathodes. The release of excess water from inside the plant is
called guttation. Guttation is normal
and it happens under certain conditions.
from small openings on the leaf edges called hydathodes. The release of excess water from inside the plant is
called guttation. Guttation is normal
and it happens under certain conditions.
. Basically, small plants can push a lot of water inside
them through a mechanism called root pressure. Root pressure takes water from
the surrounding soil, if there’s plenty of it, and pushes it inside the plant.
them through a mechanism called root pressure. Root pressure takes water from
the surrounding soil, if there’s plenty of it, and pushes it inside the plant.
Sometimes the water pressure inside the plant can be so
great that it needs to release some of this excess water. Many plants have
specialized openings on leaf edges called hydathodes and this is where the
water comes out. Technically, the process of taking excess water inside the
plant and releasing it through hydathodes is called guttation.
great that it needs to release some of this excess water. Many plants have
specialized openings on leaf edges called hydathodes and this is where the
water comes out. Technically, the process of taking excess water inside the
plant and releasing it through hydathodes is called guttation.
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| Whipping the greens for the US Open. from https://golfcontentnetwork.com/news/u-s-open/u-s-open-theres-nothing-quite-like-oakmont/ |
It can happen on grasses a lot. Golf course superintendents
are concerned about this phenomenon because the water coming from the plant is
full of sugars. It can be a rich breeding ground for grass diseases. If this
water rich with sugars stays on the leaf surface for several hours, disease
problems can be a reality.
Superintendents, years ago, used bamboo poles to “whip
the greens” and remove this excess water from the leaf blades. It was thought
by doing this the water was removed from the leaves and disease problems were
reduced as well. Most now use a quick pulse of irrigation water instead.
the greens” and remove this excess water from the leaf blades. It was thought
by doing this the water was removed from the leaves and disease problems were
reduced as well. Most now use a quick pulse of irrigation water instead.
So, what does this have
to do with you and your little leaf Cordia? If this is guttational water, the
plant is telling you not to water so often. The soil is full of water. Make
sure you give it a “rest period” without water before the next
irrigation. Other than that, nothing to worry about.