Do Cheese Plants Cry? (Monstera Deliciosa)

Often when I’ve gone to check on my cheese plant in the morning I’ve noticed droplets of water at the tips of the leaves. At first I was worried that there was a leak in my home, but after some research I managed to find that it’s actually quite a common occurrence.

So why do cheese plants cry? Often people assume it’s dew, but that settles onto the plants surface from the atmosphere but the real reason cheese plants drip is thanks to a process known as guttation, this makes it seem like they are crying. 

There’s quite a lot of science behind this and it’s pretty interesting what the cheese plant actually drips (quick hint: it’s not water!), so check out the information I’ve compiled below if you want to know more.

Is My Cheese Plant Dripping Water?

Whilst on your initial glance it may seem like water, the substance secreted by your cheese plant is actually known as xylem sap and this is one of 2 different types of fluid transportation tissues in your plant.

The main role of this sap is to carry water internally throughout the plant, mainly from the roots to the stems, then the leaves. But not only that, it also passes nutrients throughout the plant and is packed full of sugars so once it has dried off from the leaves it will leave a white flaky crust.

So the way this ends up on the leaves of your cheese plant is through the process of guttation.

What Is Guttation?

Guttation is the process of an organism exuding xylem sap through pores known as hydothodes onto the tips of its leaves.

It happens due to a build up of pressure in the plants roots when there’s too much moisture in the soil. This is known as root pressure and it is what causes sap to rise through the plant. Ideally, you should use a moisture meter like this on Amazon to monitor it.

It mainly occurs when transpiration is at its lowest points (usually at night) as this is when the xylem sap reaches its highest pressure points.

What Is Transpiration?

Transpiration is simply the process for moving water throughout a plant and its evaporation through leaves and other exposed parts of the plant. 97-99.5% of water soaked up by a plants roots is lost through transpiration or guttation, this is because only a small amount is used for growth.

It’s quite common for people to think this is what causes your cheese plant to seem like its crying, but this process does not occur through the night as the plants stomata are closed.

Is Your Cheese Plant Crying Regularly?

If you’re waking up every morning and finding the same droplets are the tips of your cheese plants leaves then it’s likely you’re overwatering it.

Having too much moisture in the soil through the night is one of the main culprits for kick starting the guttation process.

So to avoid this becoming a regular occurrence it’s best to water your cheese plant in the morning or mid-day and monitor it with a moisture meter like this one on Amazon. This gives the soil chance to dry out a little before the night.

Doing this helps prevent the root pressure from building up too much.

Let me know in the comments below if you found this information as interesting as I did! Or feel free to check out our complete care guide on this plant!