What is cannabis guttation or xylem sap?

Cannabis guttation happens when the plants exude drops of xylem sap, often during the night. These often appear in the buds or on the leaves and resemble cannabis resin. Unfortunately for dabbing enthusiasts, the xylem sap is primarily composed of sugars and minerals and isn’t psychoactive. Guttation occurs on many different types of plant, grasses and fungi and shouldn’t be confused with dew which is simply condensed atmospheric water which can also form droplets on your plants.

What is guttation in cannabis plants?

To the untrained eye, guttation (or xylem sap) can look like a huge bonus globule of potent resin. Unfortunately, it is merely plant sap, produced by a similar process that creates Maple syrup when a tap is drilled into a mature Maple tree.

During the evening (or the lights-off period for indoor growers) the stomata on the undersides of the cannabis leaf close shut. During daylight hours, the stomata tend to be open allowing the plant to release moisture - a necessary part of photosynthesis.

Closed night-time stomata, in combination with possible high humidity levels, force the plant to squeeze the xylem sap out - mainly because of root pressure. The result is small droplets, often with an amber hue, which appear on the buds and leaves. The first time many growers see cannabis guttation, or xylem sap, they often think their plant is dripping in psychoactive THC-rich resin.

What causes cannabis guttation?

With high levels of soil moisture during the evening water, nutrients and minerals enter the root system. This creates a slight root pressure, forcing sap upwards through the plant. Note that root pressure, rather than transpiration, provides the primary force for the sap flow during the night. Cannabis guttation is more apparent when high RH (relative humidity) levels are present at night, suppressing the already-low evening transpiration levels to a minimum.

Without the ability to lose moisture through the (closed) stomata, occasionally the cannabis plant is compelled to force the ‘excess’ xylem sap out through water glands. These are also known as hydathodes.

Whilst cannabis guttation does little to add extra potency to your buds, many connoisseur growers enjoy seeing drops of xylem sap decorating their buds, providing extra eye candy to enhance the pleasure of cannabis home growing. Some strains are thought to be somewhat more prone than others at cannabis guttation. Guttation occurs in other plant species too, sometimes the sap droplets may appear on leaf edges or other locations on the plant/fungi.

Cannabis plants guttation pictures

As these pictures show, it is easy to mistake cannabis guttation for the mother of all resin-overflows. The eye-catching drops of xylem sap allow light to dance off their surface. The slightly amber, yellow and even red hues of the sap may deceive the passionate grower into thinking these are really the result of trichomes that have shed a mother-load of resin. In reality, cannabis trichomes simply can’t produce a resin head anything like that size, especially not overnight.

Although no guarantees are possible, Auto Blackberry Kush is one strain that often shows xylem sap in the buds. The cannabis genetics come from Blueberry and a dark hash-plant. The often dark-purple/blue buds look particularly attractive with large globules of xylem sap in the buds. For a deep dive into the main types of cannabis trichomes (bulbous trichomes, capitate sessile trichomes, capitate stalked trichomes, unicellular trichomes and cystolithic trichomes) please check out our detailed explanation.

Is cannabis xylem sap psychoactive?

If cannabis xylem sap produced by guttation was great to smoke, then there would already be a cult following by now! Unfortunately, the xylem sap is primarily composed of simple sugars, water and minerals, not cannabinoids and terpenes. The cannabinoids/terpenes are produced in the cannabis trichomes via completely different biochemical processes.

The cannabis resin produced by the trichomes tends to be in relatively small resin gland heads. The gland heads are often just 50-60 microns in diameter (or less), visible to the human eye but nothing like the size of droplets of cannabis xylem sap which may be several millimetres in diameter. Once the xylem sap has fully dried out, it will often leave a white residue of sugars and salts.

If you taste the cannabis xylem sap, you may notice a pleasant sweetish taste. However, because of the high sugar/salt content few would seriously recommend smoking it. Anyone that enthusiastically tries to dab a globule of cannabis xylem sap would feel seriously underwhelmed by the experience!

Does cannabis xylem sap have any medical uses?

No definitive studies exist, harvesting the small secretions of cannabis xylem sap would be painfully slow work, with an average of perhaps a globule or two per plant if you get lucky. Cannabis evangelists would claim that since every other part of the cannabis plant has medical uses/applications, then the xylem sap should also have benefits. It’s food for thought but answers may be slow to come.

One disturbing study (V Girolami) has been done on neonicotinoid-coated corn seeds. When guttation occurred on the subsequent corn plants the sap droplets contained dangerous levels of the neonicotinoid compound known as imidacloprid. These are powerful insecticide neurotoxins, put in the seed coating to give added protection to the vulnerable young seedling.

However, the guttation droplets were also seen to kill bees who fed on the sugars the corn xylem sap contained. Usually the bees died ‘within a few minutes’ after feasting on the sugar-rich corn xylem sap produced by corn guttation. The insecticide levels in the corn sap were concentrated at similar levels to those sprayed directly on crops.

This is thought to be a contributor to the collapse of bee populations. Apart from the tragedy of bee population declines for general agriculture, it is curious to note that the neonicotinoid compounds (chemically similar to nicotine) are actively concentrated in the corn xylem sap.

The EU has since banned many of these neonicotinoid insecticides, known collectively as ‘neonics’, from agriculture. No wonder serious cannabis lovers would never knowingly use cannabis that has been anywhere near insecticides.

Terp sap vs cannabis xylem sap

Cannabis xylem sap produced as a result of guttation shouldn’t be confused with terpene sap, also known as terpene sauce. Terpene sap/terpene sauce can be produced with a butane/propane/CO2 extraction made from high quality buds.

Get the solvent soak time right, which is often easier said than done, and you produce a sticky liquid which often forms crystals of pure THCA (and other cannabinoids) in it. The process of crystal formation may take up to 2-3 weeks. For many cannabis concentrate lovers there is nothing quite as desirable as an aromatic jar of terpene sauce with large chunky pure THCA crystals sat inside.

These near-pure THCA crystals can be dabbed, vaped or smoked. The heat of the dabbing rig, vape or joint instantly decarboxylates the non-psychoactive THCA into the psychoactive THC which we all know and love.

The liquid in which the cannabinoid diamonds sit is known as terpene sauce, terpene sap or simply terp sap. The low evaporation temperatures required to drive off residual levels of the preferred solvents (CO2, butane, propane etc) help maximise the preservation of the cannabis terpenes in the terpene sap.

Of course, if you grow special cannabinoid cannabis seeds your cannabinoid diamonds could be made from the acid-versions of CBG, CBD, THCV, CBDV or any other cannabinoid. The precise composition of the cannabinoids produced in your buds is a function of the genetics in your cannabis seeds.

Terp sap is very psychoactive with high cannabinoid levels and deliciously tasty thanks to the rich terpene levels, but it’s not easy to make. Get the solvent soak time for your buds too short and you end up with cannabis shatter, this has a fragile/brittle consistency and a clear transparent appearance.

Get the solvent soak time too long and you end up with a much darker cannabis extract, often known as cannabis oil (or hash oil) which is a thick, sticky and opaque liquid. But get the solvent soak time just right and your extract will eventually produce crystals of cannabinoids sat under a golden sea of pungent terp sap.

Getting perfect consistency of your terp sap extracts is further complicated by the fact that the appearance of a cannabis concentrate can be influenced by storage conditions. On a hot day your shatter may melt and take on a stickier, less brittle (and perhaps more convenient to use) nature. On a cold day your wonderfully runny terp sap/sauce may turn into a cloudier, less fluid gel with less jar-appeal.

Try Dutch Passion’s most resinous strains

Ever wondered which are the top strains we would recommend if you are particularly keen to grow cannabis seeds with the highest potential for resin production? It’s a tough choice, with over 3 decades spent delighting our customers with so many cannabis cup winners and a proven collection of feminised seeds, regular seeds and autoflower seeds.

But for those that are passionate about growing cannabis plants with the highest trichome-per-millimetre count levels and like to see fan leaves coated with a generous layer of trichomes the following strains come with the highest recommendations from our well experienced and professionally medicated smoke test team.

Sugar Bomb Punch

A best seller ever since she was introduced, and for all the right reasons. Sugar Bomb Punch is one of the all-time strongest Dutch Passion Indica strains. In recent lab tests every single plant tested came back between 20-25% THC. This is remarkable THC consistency and evidence of the high end genetics that typify all members of our USA cannabis seed collection, of which Sugar Bomb Punch is a star member.

Resin coats the buds and sugar leaves, you will rarely see a greasier looking indica! She’s fast too, around 9 weeks in bloom with XL harvests of fruity sweet buds. If you’re unsure about which strain to grow next, this one ticks all the important boxes and comes with the full recommendations of the Dutch Passion team.

Sugar Bomb Punch® THC Bomb X (Critical Orange Punch x Bubba Island Kush)
	Feminised		Indoor/Outdoor
	USA Special		9 weeks
	Indica		XL
	Extremely High		Cup winner

Order Now

Sugar Bomb Punch® THC Bomb X (Critical Orange Punch x Bubba Island Kush)
	Feminised		Indoor/Outdoor
	USA Special		9 weeks
	Indica		XL
	Extremely High		Cup winner

Order Now

Sugar Bomb Punch® THC Bomb X (Critical Orange Punch x Bubba Island Kush)
	Feminised		Indoor/Outdoor
	USA Special		9 weeks
	Indica		XL
	Extremely High		Cup winner

Order Now

Auto Cinderella Jack

Those needing a rapid harvest of premium quality buds won’t find many better options than Auto Cinderella Jack. Like all Dutch Passion autoflower seeds she grows easily under a wide range of conditions. Indoors, she does best with 20 hours of daily light from autoflowering cannabis seed to harvest. The brisk 10-to-11-week bloom time produces heavy harvests.

Recent independent lab analysis has shown THC levels over 25%, few auto strains deliver better potency! Auto Cinderella Jack shows great autoflower seed-to-seed consistency too, with medium height plants glittering with a thick resin trichome coating.

The effects are blissfully enjoyable, with a particularly bright and euphoric high. Perfect for those that like their buds well above-average strength.

Auto Cinderella Jack® (Cinderella 99 X Jack Herer) X Magnum
	Autoflower		Indoor/Outdoor
	Classics		10-11 weeks
	Hybrid		XL
	Extremely high		Cup winner

Order Now

Auto Cinderella Jack® (Cinderella 99 X Jack Herer) X Magnum
	Autoflower		Indoor/Outdoor
	Classics		10-11 weeks
	Hybrid		XL
	Extremely high		Cup winner

Order Now

Auto Cinderella Jack® (Cinderella 99 X Jack Herer) X Magnum
	Autoflower		Indoor/Outdoor
	Classics		10-11 weeks
	Hybrid		XL
	Extremely high		Cup winner

Order Now

Kerosene Krash

Kerosene Krash photoperiod feminised seeds are part of the acclaimed USA cannabis seed collection. These are home to some of the loudest flavours and most pungent aromas of any strains in the Dutch Passion collection. And none come with quite the same penetrating diesel/kerosene/chemical aroma boasted by Kerosene Krash.

She is a cannabis cup winning strain with parent genetics from the notorious Gorilla Glue #4 and Sherbet. This guarantees a resin-loaded harvest. Yields are heavier than average and bloom time is 8-9 weeks. If you’re looking to grow a resinous strain with epic nose-appeal this is the perfect choice!

Kerosene Krash® Gorilla Glue #4 X Sherbet
	Feminised		Indoor/Outdoor
	USA Special		8 weeks
	Indica		XL
	Extremely high		Cup winner

Order Now

Kerosene Krash® Gorilla Glue #4 X Sherbet
	Feminised		Indoor/Outdoor
	USA Special		8 weeks
	Indica		XL
	Extremely high		Cup winner

Order Now

Kerosene Krash® Gorilla Glue #4 X Sherbet
	Feminised		Indoor/Outdoor
	USA Special		8 weeks
	Indica		XL
	Extremely high		Cup winner

Order Now

Meringue

Fans of hybrid strains will find Meringue a perfect choice. Her yields may not be the heaviest in the Dutch Passion cannabis seed collection. But these unique USA genetics were bred for the high-end connoisseur quality and THC levels that can touch 25% in optimised conditions.

The buds have a silver appearance thanks to the densely packed trichomes, one of the highest trichome-per-mm2 seen so far. The result is amazing bag appeal with sweet and fruity aromas and a fantastically enjoyable and powerful effect. A great choice for those seeking resinous buds with genuine top-shelf quality!

Meringue® Wedding Cake X Animal Cookies
	Feminised		Indoor
	USA Special		8 weeks
	Hybrid		XL
	Extremely high

Order Now

Meringue® Wedding Cake X Animal Cookies
	Feminised		Indoor
	USA Special		8 weeks
	Hybrid		XL
	Extremely high

Order Now

Meringue® Wedding Cake X Animal Cookies
	Feminised		Indoor
	USA Special		8 weeks
	Hybrid		XL
	Extremely high

Order Now

Mokum’s Tulip

Another staff-pick for most resinous strains has to go to Mokum’s Tulip. These photoperiod feminised cannabis seeds take around 8-9 weeks to bloom using parent genetics from Gelato x Sherbet. The rich resin coating is beautifully presented with occasional purple/blue hues in the buds.

The intense taste is a real flavour explosion with sweet, fruity and creamy notes. The effects are powerful with many repeat growers who love the stress-busting effects and the profoundly pleasurable experience. The perfect high-THC cannabis seeds for those seeking an uncomplicated grow with predictably consistent premium buds.

Mokum's Tulip® Gelato X Sherbet
	Feminised		Indoor/Outdoor
	Classics		8 weeks
	Hybrid		XL
	Very high		Cup winner

Order Now

Mokum's Tulip® Gelato X Sherbet
	Feminised		Indoor/Outdoor
	Classics		8 weeks
	Hybrid		XL
	Very high		Cup winner

Order Now

Mokum's Tulip® Gelato X Sherbet
	Feminised		Indoor/Outdoor
	Classics		8 weeks
	Hybrid		XL
	Very high		Cup winner

Order Now

To really push these cannabis seeds to their max, we recommend growing with quality LED lights and, if possible, with added UVA/UVB supplemental lights during bloom.

As always, aim to keep your plants in the nutrient sweet-spot from cannabis seed to harvest, neither underfeeding nor over feeding them. Over/under feeding along with over/under watering are the two most common mistakes made by growers, especially those with less experience.

Also aim to keep your cannabis plants in the optical sweet spot, with optimised LED light levels throughout the grow. Just watch our premium cannabis seed genetics do the rest!