# Calcium absorption



## consettbay2003 (Aug 27, 2012)

Is calcium only absorbed through the roots or would foliar feeding with calcium be beneficial?


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## Rick (Aug 27, 2012)

Very little if any goes through the leaves, but unless you are a very diligent pot waterer and only use RO/rain water something always gets on the leaves.


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## cnycharles (Aug 27, 2012)

a quick search of 'calcium leaf absorption' shows a number of plants that do uptake calcium through their leaves. I believe it's a matter of how waxy a leaf is, as to whether or not minerals go into a plant leaf. minerals can definitely be leached out by running clean water over thin leaved plants. though maybe not a whole lot goes into orchid leaves in proportion to the roots, studies have shown definite responses to applying foliar calcium (though offhand I don't know personally studies showing non-calcium uptake through orchid leaves) for a range of plants, indicating uptake. one interesting study I just read showed that for corn, applying calcium through the leaves could assist plants in taking up ammonium through the roots


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## Ray (Aug 27, 2012)

Polarity apparently also plays a role.

Ca++ is fairly big as the go, but its double bond still keeps it a fairly polar, slowing its transfer through leaves, yet enhancing its pickup by the roots.


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## Stone (Aug 27, 2012)

Yes I've also read Ca is taken up only at the root tips and that any Ca taken in through leaves is imobile and of little use to the plant.


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