Phalaenopsis orchid in bud, photo by C. Quish
Happy Sap, C. Quish Photo
January is the month my couple of Phalaenopsis orchids send up a spike with flower buds on them. The buds usually open during the last weeks of the month. I discovered one orchid stem and buds looked a bit shiny. Upon closer inspections, I saw a droplet of an amber-colored thick liquid. The stuff was sticky! It appeared to be maple syrup. I gently washed it off under tepid water. The next day it was back. I checked for insect feeding that might have caused damage and weeping, or insect excrement. None. After watching for several days, more sticky stuff appeared, almost coating the buds. After a bit of internet hunting on University researched sites on orchids, I found nothing indicating this as a problem. An informal search of ‘Sticky Stuff on my Orchid’ returned several answers. It is normal for some varieties. They called it ‘Happy Sap’. If the orchid is happy with its environment, temperature and humidity, it will produce this high sugar sap emitted from the stem surrounding the buds to entice pollinating insects to visit the plant. Once the buds open into the flower containing the pollen, the insects will be present to land on the flower and ensure pollination. The orchid has developed this appetizer to the main meal of the flower, just enough sweet sap to entice the insects to hang around for the real show and nectar.
Another plant that emit sweet, sticky gel is the sundew, botanically named Drosera . These plants attract the insects to the sweet sap, which then get stuck in the sap on the leaf. The plant then eats the insect, absorbing the insects nutrients as it decomposes. These plants are carnivorous. Still another carnivorous plant is the Pitcher Plant which lures insects down its throat where it becomes trapped in a pool of gooey sap, never to make its way back out. I took a cold walk to the UConn Ecology and Evolutionary Biology’s greenhouse to snap a few pictures of plants with happy sap and enticing sweet liquid emitters. EEB greenhouses are open to the public and a great way to beat the winter cold. http://florawww.eeb.uconn.edu/visiting.html
-Carol Quish
Sundew, Carol Quish photo
Small Sundew, Carol Quish photo
Pitcher Plant, photo by C.Quish
Bench waiting for you to visit and enjoy the greenhouses. C.Quish photo
Uconnladybug's Blog 
April 4, 2013 at 12:15 am
Thank you! I was worried this was a dangerous substance (sap) on my moth orchid buds. Thrilled that it’s NOT, and my plant is happy! Great news!!!
June 5, 2014 at 3:18 pm
What Nicole said! This has happened on one of several Phalaenopsis for about 3 or 4 years, and at this time seems to be my only successful rebloomer. it did have some mealy bug which I’ve cleaned off and I thank am rid of and I thought it might be related. Glad to read its not!
June 17, 2015 at 5:55 am
Interesting I had this happen , I had really good growing media that I put togther for my orchid I used , tree bark ,cocunut coir ,spagnum moss and hydroponic beads and I knew it was a great mix threw in some plant food gave it a bigger vaze everything was greate problem is the tree bark decomposes too fast causes white mold to grow so I had to change everything ,even though it was willing to get moldy for such a media I didnt want it too the roots were spotting black too much mositure paird with the wood no good so I took it all out cleaned the roots and put it back in qith hrdroponics only untill I get some more coconut coir
May 13, 2016 at 11:25 am
The sticky stuff on my orchards r like a white stuff iv washed it off several times but I think its killing the buds up the stems
January 9, 2021 at 4:48 pm
I have had this orchid for several years. Blooms beautiful 2x per year. This season, in November, 8 buds formed. I was watching them and they grew a little. All of a sudden I noticed clear stickey beads of goo on and around the buds, to my dismay all the buds fell off within days of blooming Does anyone know what to do about this? This is a white flower orchid. Email me at aperfectpicture@yahoo.com if you have any answers. Thank you.