Clear "balls" on grape vine transplant?

13 years ago

I hope I'm posting this in the right place... I'm a new member of the forum, but I've been a lurker for a couple years now.

I have a question regarding a new grape vine that I picked up from WM on a whim. Probably buying from WM is my first mistake, but I hope someone can give me a clue...

Anyway, I noticed a few days after bringing it home, there were a bunch of little clear squishy balls/beads on the plant's stems and a few on its leaves as well. They looked just like tiny droplets of water. I carefully removed them and a few days later, they popped up again. I went back to the WM I bought it from yesterday, and the remaining grape vines are just COVERED in these little clear beads. One of the ladies that works there told me she knew about them and was spraying them regularly.

I originally thought these little things were pest eggs of some sort, but after doing a bit of research, I'm wondering if maybe they're "honeydew" from aphids? I haven't noticed any crawly things or eggs.

If anyone can shed a little light on this, I'd appreciate it. I'm uploading an image, but it's hard to get a good picture of these.

Featured Answer

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

13 years ago

Those are called 'pearl glands' and are quite common on most Vitex species. They are a natural phenomenon but not fully understood. They are composed of the good protein and sugar rich stuff manufactured inside the plant...which makes it a good food source....but for whom?

The obvious answer is the these pearl glands attract ants, which in turn protect the grapevine from any number of pests.

Please, educate the nursery staff. They do not need to be spraying the plants for something that is normal and not harmful to the plant.

By the way, if it was honey dew, which is produced from the back end of aphids, you'd see the aphids.

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Comments (7)

fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
13 years ago
Don't worry about those features. They are very likely a plant exudate. They certainly aren't honeydew and I don't think they are eggs.
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CJwrite
Original Author
13 years ago
Oh, grrr... I feel like a bit of an idiot. Thanks, FruitNut - I'm pretty sure you're right. I looked around a bit more after you answered, and it looks like these may be something called "grape pearls" that can appear on grape plants in the spring.

Thanks!

Here is a link that might be useful: Iowa State U : Grape Pearls
CJwrite
Original Author
13 years ago
Rhizo,

I was pretty confused about this because I didn't see any bugs on the plant. Now that I know what it is, though, I can move it out of isolation soon. :) I also plan to let the garden dept at WM next time I'm there. I now believe the remaining grape vines were looking so rough because she was covering them in crap.. Yikes!

Thanks!
jamspine
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I have just discovered these on my root beer plant cutting that I have in water and am currently trying to propagate. Could it be a response to too much water? I wonder if it is full of sugar and protein it must be calling out to some sort of insect to feast on the pearls and in turn also act as its protector. @Rhizo_1 If it was to attract ants, wouldn't that be counter productive because ants notoriously farm aphids and aphids would harm the plant, no? Maybe aphids do not like grape vines or my root beer plant? I can't wait to see what shows up after I get these planted. This is the first time I have ever seen anything like this. Very interesting! (The clear beads were on the tops of the leaves and the new growth just under the leaves, but not anywhere else further down on the stalk. Each little sphere had a coating and would pop when pressure applied, kind of like caviar but smaller and looked just like clear glass beads.)
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
8 years ago
A brief skim of that plant family does not indicate that there is a presence of specialized cells designed to attract ants. I strongly suspect that what you are seeing is water that is traveling straight up the xylem and out plant pores. Depending upon where you see the droplets, it could be guttation.

Ants and aphids do not have a permanent relationship. Aphids can multiply and thrive just fine without them and vice versa. All the ants really care about is that they have a ready supply of carb rich liquid to ingest; it doesn't much matter where it comes from.

The aphids benefit from this relationship as do the ants. Aphids, when being tended to by ants, will produce a sweeter honeydew in order to insure their guards' attentiveness.

These kinds of ants will also protect any other sugar producing insect, tree wound, nectar producing floral gland, etc. The ants don't care from which source their carb fix comes....they will protect an insect or a plant.
Jenny Clark
5 years ago
They're very normal actually, they are called Grape Pearl's. Sort of like how trees secrete sap. In what is called the rapid growth season, this is usually when they're the most prominent on your vine, the plant is pushing fluids out as it grows this isusually in the spring to summer time.