Reef Life in Barbados

When people think of Barbados, the first thing that comes to mind is not usually fabulous reefs and marine environments, however, there is a lot to look at and it’s improving all the time as steps are taken to preserve our reefs.

I visited the Drill Hall Beach (on the south coast) recently at low tide and was so amazed at how much there was to see on the reef without getting my feet wet. This would not have been the case at high tide.

There were all sorts of well camouflaged tiny fish that were the colour of the sand, but if you looked closely you could spot one darting under a rock. I saw sea urchins, sea centipedes and sea spiders and, to my untrained eye, they all seemed healthy.

I did not go in the sea, but I am quite sure that if I were suitably attired and donned my snorkeling gear, I would have been equally impressed with what I saw on the reef further from shore.

If you’d like to read more about Barbados, please visit my other blog, Things Barbados.

Seaside Plants & Trees in Barbados

Being a small island, much of the vegetation that flourishes on Barbados has a bit of tolerance to salt as you can never be too far away from it. Visit any beach and mahoe trees, manchineel trees and seagrape trees are in abundance. On more arid and windswept parts of the island and right on the beach, seaside morning glory, milkweed and coarse grasses thrive.

Most of these plants are quite harmless, but manchineel is very poisonous. Sheltering under one of these during rain (or afterwards when it’s still dripping) will result in blistering of the skin. The tree produces small apple-like fruit that you shouldn’t even touch. Manchineel trees are particularly common on west coast beaches, but they are usually labelled in some way - a red stripe or an ‘X’ to indicate that it is poisonous.

Casuarina trees and wild geranium are also fairly hardy and thrive in drier windier locations with some salt thrown in. Though these trees and plants can be found inland, they are more frequently found in coastal areas, especially areas that are a bit wild, as other plants will suffer in the saltier environment.

If you’d like to read more about Barbados, please visit my other blog, Things Barbados.

Asparagus Fern

Asparagus Fern (Asparagus setaceus) grows wild all over Barbados, particularly at higher, moister elevations, and with a bit of shade. It’s commonly used by florists in flower arrangements, so is in high demand.

Asparagus fern has a very delicate structure and is not actually a fern at all. As far as I know it is used strictly for decorative purposes, and if allowed to grow unrestricted, it can become a huge plant.

The stems are quite tough and there are thorn-like protuberances at regular intervals which makes handling the plant a delicate matter - gloves are a good idea. Simple small green berries are produced, which darken with age, and become almost black in colour.

Asparagus Fern (Asparagus setaceus) does not grow well in direct sunlight, and if cuttings are placed in water, they will remain green for quite a long time. Alternatively, they will dry out very quickly and turn brown if allowed to dry out.

If you’d like to read more about Barbados, please visit my other blog, Things Barbados.