More than a week after Hurricane Milton hit Southwest Florida with strong winds and a powerful storm surge, residents from Charlotte County to the barrier islands are noticing trees and plants starting to turn brown.
People across the area have posted pictures on social media sharing their observations — something quite unusual for a state that isn't known for the changing colors of fall foliage.
"They turned brown quick," one resident told Scripps News Fort Myers. Another added, "They look like they're just drying up."
Local horticulture expert and Charlotte County extension director, Ralph Mitchell, explained that the damage was most likely caused by the hurricane's high winds.
"Milton had high-velocity winds, and what you're seeing primarily is a leaf scorch from the high winds, where the moisture is actually blown out of the leaf, causing that desiccation," Mitchell explained. "Now, in some places, there may be aerosolized salt and particulate matter that did some abrasion. But for the most part, if you look around, you see the high wind velocity damage," he added.
While the damage may appear severe, Mitchell reassures residents that the brown color doesn’t necessarily mean the plants are dying. Many will likely recover over time.
"The good news is, although it looks horrendous—just like Ian, if you remember, it blew all the leaves off—but within weeks or a month or so, it started all coming back," Mitchell said. "We had almost like a weird early spring. The same's going to happen to this," he added.
In the meantime, Mitchell suggests flushing the soil with fresh water if salt damage is present and considering salt-tolerant species for coastal areas.
As for the browned plants lining streets, Mitchell remains optimistic about their recovery.
"I think this is not a good look right now, but be encouraged—we will have a greener future," he said.
This story was originally published by Mahmoud Bennett at Scripps News Fort Myers.