Hydrophobic, meaning water-repellent. Many plants have hydrophobic leaves and they can be found looking for them while it’s raining, or soon after it stops. This one is Virginia Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana).

Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis) is also hydrophobic. The reasons that leaves might be hydrophobic are many. One reason is to protect the plant from fungal and bacterial infections which can happen more often on wet leaves.

Here is a Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum) leaf repelling rain water. Another reason plants might repel rain water is to clean dirt from the surface of its leaves.

This is a Wood Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum), another plant with hydrophobic leaves. Some plants might use this trick to protect themselves from snails.

Whatever the reason, for me it creates an interesting thing to look for. These pictures are just four of many that I’ve found. I’ll keep looking. Surely there are many more.

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