I think so. When I took down the mesquite in front I remember getting some of that on one of my shrimp plants. But I get it some when I forget to water too long and they get a bit fried. Maybe they need more water with the tree down until they get adjusted? Just a thought.

Lisa

Thanks Lisa! I'm hoping it's just too much sun frying them and not something worse like chilli thrips. I tapped the blooms over white paper and examined with a 10 power loupe and didn't see any of those very tiny thrips that can't be seen with anything less than 10 power.

Roselee, my lighter colored shrimp plants do that too. I think it is just a combination of high humidity followed by intense sunshine. It is usually the older blooms that are affected. When more of the blooms look bad than look good, I just shear it off a couple of inches and let it rebloom.

Jim

Jim, thank you! I'm breathing a sigh of relief that's the damage is from the blasting afternoon sun, which I can deal with by eventually moving it or in the short term by using another umbrella, and not chilli thrips. This yellow variety, that you passed along, is my favorite. It's always covered in blooms. I think the variety may be 'Lemon Sorbet'.