We’ve all seen those fabulous dewdrops, twinkling in the pale early morning sunlight. Did you know plants were behind the most beautiful ones? Delve into the secrets of guttation, one of the most amazing mysteries of the plant kingdom.
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In this post, we’ll describe what is inside those dewdrops that form along the edges of leaves, and whether they’re dangerous for us – and for the rest of nature!
Guttant is produced by the plant itself. It contains many things that are usually found in sap.
→ Here: on a horsetail stem (one of the most interesting in terms of nutrients)
It’s mostly water, but there are a lot of other compounds as well:
It varies greatly a lot on the plant, growth stage, soil, weather, season, temperature, etc.
When you try to gather guttant, chances are you’re also collecting natural dewdrops, too!
Dew results from water condensing from the air down onto leaves and stems. As such, it’s mostly chemically pure water. However, in some cases, it can carry small particles of matter and pollutants that were floating in the sky. This happens often in polluted areas, places where many wildfires occur, and also during pollen season.
Guttation will always be much more nutritious than pure dew. Good to know if you’re in survival mode!
Dewdrops usually form on the surface of leaves, on the topside.
A key way to distinguish guttation from dew is to look for patterns. Indeed, since guttation depends on the plant, it’ll appear based on how the plant works. For some, it’ll be along the edges of leaves, at regular intervals. For others, it’ll be at leaf joints, or at the tips of flowers.
It’ll also appear on leaves that are deeper down in the plant, even underneath it.
Dew, on the other hand, comes from the sky and falls down: it won’t gather on leaves that are lower down on the shrub. Leaves that are covered by other leaves or plants won’t have any dew on them, but they’ll still have guttation.
Both sparkle on leaves at daybreak, but they come from opposite directions: one falls from the air, the other is pushed out by the plant. Here is what separates them at a glance.
| What to look at | Dew | Guttation |
|---|---|---|
| Where it comes from | Water condensing out of the air onto leaves and stems | Fluid produced by the plant itself, close to sap |
| Where the drops sit | On the topside surface of leaves | Along leaf edges, at leaf joints or at the tips of flowers |
| Arrangement | Scattered wherever the sky reaches | A regular pattern set by how the plant works |
| Lower, shaded leaves | None: covered leaves stay dry | Still present, even underneath the plant |
| What is in the drop | Mostly chemically pure water, sometimes airborne particles and pollutants | Water plus minerals, sugars, amino acids, microbes and plant compounds |
In short, if the drops follow the plant’s own geometry rather than the sky’s, you are looking at guttation.
For a plant, guttation is usually a sign of good health. However, in some cases, guttation is sometimes bad for the plant.
For us humans, and pets or animals, it’s nearly impossible to contract illness, disease, or problems from drinking or brushing against guttation.
There is no known allergy to guttation fluid, except in cases where the plant itself induces allergies.
Bees and many insects, heavily rely on guttation to drink. It’s a big help for them to have plants that guttate growing around their hive or shelter.
→ Some of the best shrubs for pollinators are also known to produce lots early-morning dew even during dry spells.
This is particularly dangerous for such insects when plants they drink from have been sprayed with pesticides and insecticides.
This proves how important it is to always refrain from using chemicals. It’s far better to use natural, home-made fertilizer and pest control instead.
Interesting fact:
