from the July 3, 2011 Newsletter issued
from written at Mayan Beach
Garden Inn 20 kms north of Mahahual, Quintana Roo, México
SALT-SPRAY DAMAGE
This wasn't a good week for our Queen Emmas to reach their flowering peak. That's because
during most of the week another big "disorganized zone of instability" weather
system drifted over us, giving us unending stiff breezes, big waves and air so heavy with
salt spray that I had to clean my glasses every five minutes or so. Where our Queen Emmas
were most exposed to the wind, the flowers got "scorched" -- turned brown and
shriveled up -- as shown below:
Even many native plants suffered, as shown below:
Those are young Chit Palms, Thrinax radiata, their outer leaf sections
"scorched" by the salt. Chit Palms sheltered from the wind don't have frond
segments tipped with dead tissue. |