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Why Paint Trunks White?


insipidtoast

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On a recent trip to Northern Baja, Mexico I noticed the bases of many of the Washingtonia robustas are painted white. This is unheard of in SoCal. Why do they do this?

It is also common to see this on the Ficus benjaminas throughout Mexico as well.

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On a recent trip to Northern Baja, Mexico I noticed the bases of many of the Washingtonia robustas are painted white. This is unheard of in SoCal. Why do they do this?

It is also common to see this on the Ficus benjaminas throughout Mexico as well.

I've seen it a lot in the Bahamas & in Miami, mostly Cocos. I'm not quite sure why either.

"If you need me, I'll be outside" -Randy Wiesner Palm Beach County, Florida Zone 10Bish

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Termite Protection ? This practice is common on trees in urban areas. The bottom 5-6 feet are painted white with some sort of plastic waterproof paint with an oil coating.

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____________________

Kumar

Bombay, India

Sea Level | Average Temperature Range 23 - 32 deg. celsius | Annual rainfall 3400.0 mm

Calcutta, India

Sea Level | Average Temperature Range 19 - 33 deg. celsius | Annual rainfall 1600.0 mm

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This has been discussed before, and the current consensus points to street safety but mostly cultural style.

Frank

 

Zone 9b pine flatlands

humid/hot summers; dry/cool winters

with yearly freezes

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Insect repellant, we would use it on all of our fruit trees to prevent mostly ants from crawling up and destroying fruit, you can still purchase at some nursuries that mainly cater to the orchard fruit grower.

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When we were in Cozumel last summer we noticed all the palms in medians and along main roads were painted like that. We decided that at least in Cozumel the practice was for driver safety. Outside of tourist resorts no one paid much attention to care of landscape palms and that oversight showed.

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

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Insect repellent and style here in the South. But you rarely see it done anymore.

There was a thread on this once, but I cannot find it. If anyone has the link, please post it here.

In my post I sometimes express "my" opinion. Warning, it may differ from "your" opinion. If so, please do not feel insulted, just state your own if you wish. Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or any other damages

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Insect repellent, and for orchard trees, avocado for example, to protect against UV in winter. Wet bark exposed to full Mediterranean sun in winter, can expand and contract excessively, drying and shrinking until it splits. Then consider where the bugs like to live, and it pretty much offers 2 in 1 protection. The style thing probably came afterwards. "Hey, my trees look cool!" - said the farmer.

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Those arent painted, they are actually "dypsis white stick willies" :D . Get the seed!!!

Formerly in Gilbert AZ, zone 9a/9b. Now in Palmetto, Florida Zone 9b/10a??

 

Tom Blank

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Hello All

I hope my bad English let you understand what I mean :wub:

Liming is an old tradition from the cultivation of fruit trees, which were painted with lime to prevent sunburn damage and insects.

However, this proved that this practice brings more problems than solutions.

Lime paint used for whitewashing is washed for the rains, dissolved and leached down to the ground. To get this lime to the soil, dissolved in water, has the property to elevate the pH

As you know, pH is a measure of the ability of the soil to facilitate the exchange of minerals and cause them to be absorbed by the fine roots of plants

The ideal pH value is between 6 and 6.5. When raising the pH, the soil becomes more alkaline; iron for example, is retained chemically and can no longer be taken by the roots

If the soil is alkaline, as in many cities, with the whitewash just worsen the situation and sick over the palm trees and other plants too

Liming may result in the palm suffering from lime-induced chlorosis, whose symptoms include yellowing of foliage and the loss of ability to perform photosynthesis, the process of preparing its own food.

In other words, the lime makes the palm may die have hunger

Cheers

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Thank you for the explanation Pindo.

Zone 10a at best after 2007 AND 2013, on SW facing hill, 1 1/2 miles from coast in Oceanside, CA. 30-98 degrees, and 45-80deg. about 95% of the time.

"The great workman of nature is time."   ,  "Genius is nothing but a great aptitude for patience."

-George-Louis Leclerc de Buffon-

I do some experiments and learning in my garden with palms so you don't have to experience the pain! Look at my old threads to find various observations and tips!

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Hello All

I hope my bad English let you understand what I mean :wub:

Liming is an old tradition from the cultivation of fruit trees, which were painted with lime to prevent sunburn damage and insects.

However, this proved that this practice brings more problems than solutions.

Lime paint used for whitewashing is washed for the rains, dissolved and leached down to the ground. To get this lime to the soil, dissolved in water, has the property to elevate the pH

As you know, pH is a measure of the ability of the soil to facilitate the exchange of minerals and cause them to be absorbed by the fine roots of plants

The ideal pH value is between 6 and 6.5. When raising the pH, the soil becomes more alkaline; iron for example, is retained chemically and can no longer be taken by the roots

If the soil is alkaline, as in many cities, with the whitewash just worsen the situation and sick over the palm trees and other plants too

Liming may result in the palm suffering from lime-induced chlorosis, whose symptoms include yellowing of foliage and the loss of ability to perform photosynthesis, the process of preparing its own food.

In other words, the lime makes the palm may die have hunger

Cheers

Pindo,

Your english was just fine. I understood 100 percent. It may also explain why liming was popular here, as we have acid soils and many gardeners add a bit of lime to their gardens every year or two.

Keith

In my post I sometimes express "my" opinion. Warning, it may differ from "your" opinion. If so, please do not feel insulted, just state your own if you wish. Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or any other damages

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I have no idea in some cases. Growing up in Texas there were many mimosa, redbud and other small trees, and many yards had all their trees painted. There were very few palms, zone 7b/8a. Some paint was lime, others were just painted with white paint. They didn't need to raise the pH, and wouldn't have known about liming anyway, they were generally in the poorer neighborhoods without sophisticated landscapes. Some also were growing inside auto tires cut to fold inside out, looking a little like flower petals, and they were inevitably painted white also. Bizarre, but cool.

Why? I think it was just a regional folk art expression. I certainly never knew any specific horticultural purpose. I agree that everybody's ideas on here of real purpose are likely for other zones, however.

Maybe a temperate horticultural folklorist (THF) should study this... OK, maybe not, since there is not a large group of THF on here!

Gig 'Em Ags!

 

David '88

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Termite Protection ? This practice is common on trees in urban areas. The bottom 5-6 feet are painted white with some sort of plastic waterproof paint with an oil coating.

Yes,here even in South india i have seem many gardens having their dicot tree trunks painted in white Acrylic Emulsion or lime.Every spring season.And was told this wards off termite grouth around the trunk.

And by the way nice topic and is very useful.

love,

kris :)

love conquers all..

43278.gif

.

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None of this explains why some Mexicans paint the legs of their burros.

Tom
Mid-Pinellas (St. Petersburg) Florida, USA

Member of Palm Society 1973-2012
Gizella Kopsick Palm Arboretum development 1977-1991
Chapter President 1983-84
Palm Society Director 1984-88

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