Has anyone ever heard of this?

[BunnytheOrchid]

Hi all! I'm not very knowledgeable about orchid diseases. I've read the sticky about common diseases and pests, but I've noticed something odd on my cattleya that I didn't recognize on the list. My boyfriend thinks its like a sap or something, but I didn't think orchids had sapAnywho, it's terribly small, so I haven't been able to get a decent picture, but it looks like tiny water droplets that don't evaporate. When I have wiped them away, they break up into smaller droplets, and even with water they come back. Currently they are developing on my cattleya's new growth (pseudobulb). I have also seen a very small droplet on one of my phal's spike. Does anyone have ANY clue what this is??? Is it nothing?????

Thanks in advance for educating me!

[kmarch]

It is sap.

[digitalgate]

more likely sap that taste sweet. All orchids produce them to attract insect to pollinate
the orchids. I love the taste of Arundina graminifolia's nectar , you should try it.
But if it smell terrible, you better dont try it. It may be something else.

[patlee]

Bunny, Your boyfriend is on the right track--I have noticed it on the buds of several of my plants (mostly catts, some phals) just before they bloom. Someone on here calls it "happy sap" No need to worry!!

[exasperatus2002]

My Slc Chia Lin 'New City' AM/AOS has sap on the 2 pb's its started. It's the only chid I have that does it but Im not worried.

[BunnytheOrchid]

No kidding, it is sap huh? I had no idea! I really thought that was more of a tree thing, like the plant had to be more woody or something. Hehe oops Ok then, I won't worry about it. Thanks guys for easing my mind. I'm glad it's "happy" too! Although I'm not sure I'm quite ready to taste it!

[kmarch]

One of the botanists on the forum can correct me if I'm wrong here but I believe that all plants have sap of some kind, essentially fluid that runs through the plant. Now whether is it salled "sap" in all instances, or if it is even called "sap" by the botanists at all. That would be interesting to know.

With my orchids I don't see it on everything. I usually see it on cattleyas and my phals and rarely on anything else, very occasionally on a paph or cymbidium bud.

Early on I even tasted it once....probably not a good idea (actually that might explain some things, lol) and it was like sticky super-sweet syrup.

[Hummer344]

If you want a sappy plant buy a Encyclia cochleata (yes I know, its probably not spelled right,not punctuate right & if my feeble brain remembers that far back, I think the AOS renamed the spieces.) Commonly known at a Cockleshell or Comet Orchid. If you set it on a piece of furniture you had better put a big towel around it. On the bright side, the plant blooms forever.

[CathyG]

Okay then I am HAPPY, it is sap on my oncidium. It makes sense that the plant would provide a sweet liquid to attract pollinators....especially since the plant is in bloom. Live and learn something new everyday. Thanks all.

[Hummer344]

Another intresting fact: Few, maybe none, of the orchids attract hummingbirds. One would think that the little birds would really eat up the surgary sap.

[digitalgate]

Originally Posted by Hummer344

Another intresting fact: Few, maybe none, of the orchids attract hummingbirds. One would think that the little birds would really eat up the surgary sap.

that why they sugar rush! flapping with 10,000 times per second.c

[BunnytheOrchid]

Well don't hummingbirds eat nectar? I don't think that's the same as orchid sap. Meh, I don't know. I didn't know it was sap in the first place

[waldofrumpki]

Hummingbirds would probably eat the sap, as it's sugary like nectar, but the flowers on orchis are usually the wrong shape for them, and often the wrong color. From my limited experience, most orchids are white, purple, orange, green...but not the bright red that hummingbirds like so much. I know there's a few bright red orchids, but I doubt they live in the same place as the birds.