Is this water? Lavender Star Flower

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

These pictures are from my Lavender Star Flower's leaves. I've noticed what appears to be water droplets on about 40% of the leaves, and some of leaves appear wet. The pictures are prior to me watering it, it's a very thirsty tree in this soil and pouts if not watered every 2-3 days even in the winter. 90% of the time I bring it to the kitchen sink and use the vegetable sprayer button on the faucet to simulate rain when I water. The droplets aren't sticky, have no discernable odor, and they feel like oil or lotion. Tree is healthy so I'm not worried. I'm just new and have never seen any other plant do this on a regular basis.

 

[Paradox]

These pictures are from my Lavender Star Flower's leaves. I've noticed what appears to be water droplets on about 40% of the leaves, and some of leaves appear wet. The pictures are prior to me watering it, it's a very thirsty tree in this soil and pouts if not watered every 2-3 days even in the winter. 90% of the time I bring it to the kitchen sink and use the vegetable sprayer button on the faucet to simulate rain when I water. The droplets aren't sticky, have no discernable odor, and they feel like oil or lotion. Tree is healthy so I'm not worried. I'm just new and have never seen any other plant do this on a regular basis.

Hmm they arent sticky so its not sap. IDK, have you looked up information on the plant online to see of its normal?

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Hmm they arent sticky so its not sap. IDK, have you looked up information on the plant online to see of its normal?

Yes, I did google "lavender star flower droplets on leaves" & a few other variations to no avail. I'm pretty sure it's water but I've never seen/noticed this on any other plant.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Grewia occidentalis is the scientific name. I've been doing more reading and found nothing. Shiny leaves? Sort of I guess.

It is a scrambling deciduous shrub or small tree reaching up to 3m in height. Purple star-shaped flowers (measuring 1.5 to 3cm across) appear in summer (October - January), followed by distinctive four-lobed fruits (hence the common name cross-berry and four-corner). Fruits turns shiny reddish-brown to light purple when ripe (January - May) and may remain on the tree for long periods.

The leaves are alternate and simple with three distinct veins from the base. They are shiny deep green and may be slightly hairy on both surfaces. They are usually held in a horizontal plane towards the light.

 

[Carol 83]

I just took a quick look at mine, which I have because of you thank you very much! And I don't see anything like that. Are you sure they're not sticky? Do you have them in a tent where the humidity is really high?

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

I just took a quick look at mine, which I have because of you thank you very much! And I don't see anything like that. Are you sure they're not sticky? Do you have them in a tent where the humidity is really high?

Nope I don't own a grow tent (yet). It's sitting under T8 grow lights on the grow shelf, humidity is between 45%-65%. in the room. Super sandy soil. It has twice as many flower buds than it did two months ago. Looks really healthy, and I've noticed the droplets since the first few weeks of owning it. The droplets are semi-sticky I guess, (nothing like the super glue Barbados cherry tree's put out) but like I mentioned it feels more like oil, so I guess it could be sap, but it's on the leaves.

 

[Carol 83]

If they're sticky check for scale. Do you see any hard scaled bugs that look like just weird growth on the branches? Not sure what you mean about the Barbados Cherry's . Never had anything on mine and I have a few.

 

[Esolin]

I think it is sap. I have some blueberry bushes which produce similar semi-sticky droplets on their leaves at certain times of year. Not sure why they do this. Oh wait, I found an article on it:

Plant Droplets Serve as Nutrient-Rich Food for Insects

www.rutgers.edu

I think your star lavender must be doing this. Be mindful of sooty mold growth, as the sap seems to encourage this as much as ants and other insects.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Sometimes when plants produce more sugars than their storage vessels can hold, these sugars leak out together with some sap.
It attracts ants which feed on it and in return keep predators at bay.
It happens more indoors than outdoors and I'm not sure why.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

If they're sticky check for scale. Do you see any hard scaled bugs that look like just weird growth on the branches? Not sure what you mean about the Barbados Cherry's . Never had anything on mine and I have a few.

When my Barbados flowers they secrete a really sticky sap. So much sap that when the flowers die and fall off they'll stick to anything they fall/land on.

I think it is sap. I have some blueberry bushes which produce similar semi-sticky droplets on their leaves at certain times of year. Not sure why they do this. Oh wait, I found an article on it:

Plant Droplets Serve as Nutrient-Rich Food for Insects

www.rutgers.edu

I think your star lavender must be doing this. Be mindful of sooty mold growth, as the sap seems to encourage this as much as ants and other insects.

Thank you. The article was really helpful.

Sometimes when plants produce more sugars than their storage vessels can hold, these sugars leak out together with some sap.
It attracts ants which feed on it and in return keep predators at bay.
It happens more indoors than outdoors and I'm not sure why.

Thank you. I certainly hope it doesn't do this outside in the spring/summer.

 

[Stormwater]

Scale?

 

[Tums]

Try looking up "guttation"?

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Scale?

I've checked for scale a few times, including before I made this post. I use a 30X magnifying glass with LED lights, and haven't seen a thing. Thanks.
Two of the pictures I posted were snapped thru the eyes of the magnifying glass.

Try looking up "guttation"?

That's exactly what the article @Esolin posted above explains. I'd never heard of "guttation" before so I learned something new, and I believe that to be the correct answer, as it explains a lot of how the tree has been acting. Thanks.

 

[Devo313]

I have a Grewia as well, it does the same thing.

 

[19Mateo83]

Yes, I did google "lavender star flower droplets on leaves" & a few other variations to no avail. I'm pretty sure it's water but I've never seen/noticed this on any other plant.

Grape vines are known to do this on new growth.

 

[Devo313]

Seems like it could be a sign of overwatering.

My Grewia has been dropping some yellow leaves lately…

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

I think it is sap. I have some blueberry bushes which produce similar semi-sticky droplets on their leaves at certain times of year. Not sure why they do this. Oh wait, I found an article on it:

Plant Droplets Serve as Nutrient-Rich Food for Insects

www.rutgers.edu

I think your star lavender must be doing this. Be mindful of sooty mold growth, as the sap seems to encourage this as much as ants and other insects.

Seems like it could be a sign of overwatering.

My Grewia has been dropping some yellow leaves lately…

@Esolin enlightened me to what I believe the correct answer is. I also had no leave drop. The only time I see yellow leaves on this LSF is underwatering, but my soil is sandy. The tree in this post was healthy in the posted pics. It's currently flowering non-stop.

 

[Devo313]

@Esolin enlightened me to what I believe the correct answer is. I also had no leave drop. The only time I see yellow leaves on this LSF is underwatering, but my soil is sandy. The tree in this post was healthy in the posted pics. It's currently flowering non-stop.

View attachment 476099

Guttation, seems to mainly be a byproduct of overwatering from my reading.

Mines been flowering all winter also. Its been quite the show despite some yellow leaves.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Guttation, seems to mainly be a byproduct of overwatering from my reading.

Mines been flowering all winter also. Its been quite the show despite some yellow leaves.

Okay. Got it. I misunderstood your first post about this. I understand what you're saying now.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

These pictures are from my Lavender Star Flower's leaves. I've noticed what appears to be water droplets on about 40% of the leaves, and some of leaves appear wet. The pictures are prior to me watering it, it's a very thirsty tree in this soil and pouts if not watered every 2-3 days even in the winter. 90% of the time I bring it to the kitchen sink and use the vegetable sprayer button on the faucet to simulate rain when I water. The droplets aren't sticky, have no discernable odor, and they feel like oil or lotion. Tree is healthy so I'm not worried. I'm just new and have never seen any other plant do this on a regular basis.

With more knowledge I'd like to correct the above statement in case anyone finds this in a search in the future. I was watering this every other day a few weeks ago and conditions weren't improving. Daily yellow dying leaves, that would soon die. I figured I was over watering and would slow down, which would make it worse and the green leaves would wilt. Well it took me way to long to figure out that the soil surrounding the root ball was so dense my watering would never fully penetrate it. I ended up soaking it in a bowl of water for half hour and the soil ball half floated out of the pot. It's growing great now. No more yellow leaves and the guttation is improving.



Soon it's getting repotted in bonsai soil so all this can be avoided. Live & Learn.

It's not thirsty anymore and I water it way less.