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Re: Jim

Message from Jim Wilmington DE 7a

When a leaf dies from cold, it seems that it happens at the cellular level. The water in and around the cells freezes. When it freezes, it expands. Such water INSIDE a cell could, logically speaking, burst the cell. BLEs that are more impervious to subfreezing temperatures have developed ways to move the bulk of the cellular water out of the cells until the temperatures rise again. We see this when BLE leaves turn deeper colors or "shrivel." Palms, for the most part, don't do this as well as, say, Rhododendrons. However, if one were to limit the water available to a palm in winter, there would be less of it in the leaves to do damage. At least that's the theory.

This is as best I remember it. I could be off with regard to one or two particulars.


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