Salt Damage in the Landscape

How Salt Damages Trees

Salt damages trees through two pathways: via airborne salt spray, as on a busy highway, and via the soil. Salt spray that lands on a dormant twig can enter the tissue through leaf scar and kill the dormant bud.

When salt in the soil dissolves, it separates into sodium and chloride ions. The ions act differently to damage the tree. In early spring, the chloride ions can be taken up by the roots, enter the sap, concentrate in the shoots, and prevent buds from opening. Later, they can be transported to actively growing leaf margins, causing leaf scorch, curling, or death. Sodium ions use the same “chemical route” as necessary tree nutrients. As George Hudler, professor of plant pathology at Cornell explains, the sodium can “tie up the plant’s shuttle system and restrict uptake of magnesium and potassium, two chemicals that are essential for making chlorophyll.” Potassium deficiencies are common in plants suffering from salt injury, says Hudler. Salt in the soil can create a physiological drought. Brine near underground tree roots can be a more concentrated solution than the sap in the roots. The roots therefore can’t take in water through osmosis. Water is so unavailable to salt-stressed tree that they are actually dying of thirst. Continue reading “Salt Damage in the Landscape”

Mesquite Trees in Arizona

Mesquite trees belong in Arizona. As Jay Sharp, editor and author for the website DesertUSA.com, expresses, “the mesquites symbolize our Southwestern deserts” as much as “the Coyote, the Black-tail Jackrabbit, the Western Diamondback, scorpions, the Saguaro and prickly pear cacti.” Indeed, mesquite trees in Arizona are “as blended into the life of the land as cornbread and tortillas.” (Lometa)

Perfectly Adapted to the Desert

Mesquites are very hardy desert trees, having adapted over the centuries to life in the desert landscapes in and around Arizona. All of their physical characteristics ensure their survival here, including their foliage, their bean pods, and their root systems. They grow well in full sun and high temperatures, but will also tolerate the cold during Arizona’s winter (down to 0º Fahrenheit). They are sometimes found in rather high elevation and will adapt to shallow rocky soils. According to reports by the U. S. Department of Agriculture and Forest Service, a mesquite tree can live for more than two centuries. (Sharp) Continue reading “Mesquite Trees in Arizona”

6 Great Reasons to Visit Grenada in the Caribbean

Grenada is a beautiful island that sits close to Trinidad and Tobago. Most famous for it’s beaches, almost perfect weather and people, it’s also got a ton of great tourist delights. There are many incredible reasons to visit Grenada including the beautiful vegetation, the carnival and laid back vibe. Whatever your motivation, here are the top 6 reasons for visiting the Spice Isle.

Beaches

If you want beaches and you want them with white sand and warm crystal clear waves lapping on the shoreline, then you’ve got the right island. The strongest point of most islands, you get a lot of beaches! Grand Anse is beautiful but then so are the other beaches further north such as Levera, Sauteurs and the one on Sandy Island is truly unbeatable!

The People Continue reading “6 Great Reasons to Visit Grenada in the Caribbean”

All About the Chicken Egg

You’ve probably heard the saying “which came first, the chicken or the egg?”. Well, we’ll probably never know what the answer is, but we can learn as much as we can about the Chicken and the Egg. In our case, we’ll discuss about chicken eggs. I am here to answer all the questions you might be having in relation to this topic.

So, sit back and get ready to learn all you need to know about chicken eggs.

The Anatomy of a Chicken Egg

Most folks generalize the parts of an egg into three parts only; the shell, the albumen and the yolk. However, you’ll be surprised to know that these are not the only parts. There are many components that make the chicken egg what it is. Here is the complete anatomy of a chicken egg. Continue reading “All About the Chicken Egg”

Guava: Member of Myrtle Family

Guava is a plant of the myrtle family scientifically known as Myrtaceae. It is represented by the genus Psidium with 100 species of tropical shrubs and small trees known. They are native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. They have now well established in the tropics and subtropics in Southeast Asia, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Florida and Africa. The most frequently encountered species of guava is the Apple guava variety.

Guavas are typical plants with tough and dark leaves. The leaves are arranged opposite on the stem and are elliptic, to ovate measuring 5-15 cm long. The flowers are white with five petals and numerous stamens. The genera Accara and Feijoa were formerly included in the genus Psidium. They are most frequently used as food plants by larvae of many lepidopteran insects. The bacterium Erwinia psidii causes rot diseases in Apple Guavas. The fruits are highly relished by humans, many mammals as well as by birds. The animals help in the dispersal of guava seeds to long distances along with their droppings. In some tropical regions including the Hawaii many varieties have become invasive species. Several species have also joined the category of rare species due to habitat destruction. One species particularly the Jamaican Guava has become completely extinct. Continue reading “Guava: Member of Myrtle Family”

Tuba the Coastal Drink of Manzanillo

Tuba: a large, valved, brass wind instrument with a bass pitch? Correct, but that is not at all what I’m talking about. The tuba I have in mind is a coastal drink in our area of Manzanillo. This drink is made from coconut palm sap and is sweet and pleasant by itself but can be fermented to a type of wine. Tuba is unique to the coast, Manzanillo and Colima.

Workers climb the palm tree, one not used for coconut production, and bruise the coconut flower stalk until the liquid begins to flow. The stalk is tied with bamboo strips and a bamboo container, or bottle, is used to collect the sap. Up to 3 flowers from one tree may be made to produce sap. Each flower produces tuba for two months then dries out and is cut from the tree. Tuba quenches the thirst and is said to be good for indigestion.

Continue reading “Tuba the Coastal Drink of Manzanillo”

The Marula Fruit – African Booze For Wild Animals, Or Total Myth?

Are you familiar with the Marula tree? If not, it’s a beautiful African tree that produces wonderful and tasty fruits! Yummy fruits, which apparently make elephants drunk…? The story has been going on for ages…so much so that it has even become a liquor, called “Amarula” for connoisseurs (very tasty by the way, a little like Bailey’s)!

Origin

The story is traced back to the 1970s (1974 to be exact), when a guy by the name of Jamie Uys produced two documentaries called “Beautiful People” (he also directed “The Gods Must Be Crazy”). The footage, among other things showing wild animals getting drunk after eating the marula fruits, became an immediate hit (and even received an award for best documentary). Since then millions of people are still persuaded that elephants do indeed get drunk with such “potent” fruits! The question is: is it true?

Genuine Info or Total Fallacy? Continue reading “The Marula Fruit – African Booze For Wild Animals, Or Total Myth?”

Edible Plants – Sahara Desert

Researchers have discovered much evidence that supports the Sahara desert having once been a far more damp area, in which 1000s of various animals and plants once thrived. Elephants, wildcats, and giraffes are all portrayed in ancient art from the area. While the Saharan cheetah is occasionally seen in the desert, the rest of these species have died out and no longer inhabit the area, instead living in the regions that have a larger variety and quantity of plant life and water resources. Even though so many species of animals have died out or migrated from the Sahara desert, many still remain and rely on the native Saharan vegetation for food. There are three specific animal species that feed on these Sahara desert plants. Continue reading “Edible Plants – Sahara Desert”

Learn Facts About the Red Nocturnal Squirrelfish Species of Tropical Fish

A mostly red, tropical reef fish, the Hawaiian squirrelfish Menpachi stays in underwater caves in the daytime, swimming out after dark to hunt for food in the shallow waters over the reefs.They eat crabs, invertebrates, zooplankton and small fish. Because they are active primarily at night, their large eyes are important, as nocturnal creatures. The Menpachi fish is good to eat and is often hunted by spear fishermen. It is not a large fish, usually not more than 12 inches in length.

Although they are edible, some of the other species of squirrelfish are not generally used for eating, as they are small, in general, they have rough scales and their spines are sharp.

The squirrelfish named ala’ihi by Hawaiians has red with multiple white stripe or silver stripe colorings. The name of this fish is often seen without the apostrophe as alaihi. It is often the subject of paintings and posters as it is an attractive, colorful fish. Continue reading “Learn Facts About the Red Nocturnal Squirrelfish Species of Tropical Fish”

Fruit Trees That Thrive in the Arizona Low Desert

Growing Fruit Trees in Phoenix, Arizona

In this article I talk about which fruit trees do well in Arizona

The first thing I will do is crush your dreams of growing tropical trees. I have seen it done, but the effort far outweighs the reward. If you want a mango or avocado tree in your yard I recommend moving to Hawaii, because that just isn’t the kind of climate we live in. Those who are somewhat successful at growing tropical fruit trees in the Phoenix area have to go to great lengths to combat the frost. They have to cover the trees at night and place lights under them to help them survive the Winter. They also have to go to similar lengths to combat the heat. I say forget it and grow something that wants to be here unless tropical trees are simply a passion of yours. Continue reading “Fruit Trees That Thrive in the Arizona Low Desert”