Whitewashing Palm and Tree Trunks

[_Keith]

I saw this picture come up on Flickr today. The practice goes back to the old days. Have you seen anyone still doing this?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29374594@N00/2325042094

[John in Andalucia]

Keith,

This is seen all over my town, in the fields. For young avocado trees, painting the trunks white is protection against UV. I've also seen tree-lined streets with painted trunks, although they do not appear to be at much risk from sun exposure. Could it also be that people remember it being done, they've forgotten exactly why, but it looks good?

[Palm Guy]

I haven't seen it done on palm trees before (till now) but I have noticed that a few ppl around here paint they bases of their woody fruit trees (citrus, avocado, mango trees etc.) and pruning cuts. I always thought it was to prevent fungal diseases that regularly invade tree bases and pruning cuts. I do notice that those cocos have holes in them. Maybe their trying to seal the holes?

[amazondk]

It is not uncommon in Brazil to paint trees, palms and others trunks white. There must be some reason other than cultural for the practice as well. Around here the concrete street light or power poles also get painted white. Maybe that is because they look like palms somewhat.

You can see the white painted power poles on both sides of the street. They are sort of in need of repainting though.

dk

[gsn]

This has been disscussed previously on Palm Talk.

Here is the link

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?sh...92&hl=paint

[John in Andalucia]

  gsn said:

This has been disscussed previously on Palm Talk.

Here is the link

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?sh...92&hl=paint

Oh, so it did. Well it just proves that the reasons are multitudinous. In a similar fashion, did you know that in London, England some of the city's Victorian lampposts have been fitted with padded jackets to prevent people texting on mobile phones from getting hurt when they walk into them. In the old days you'd be laughed at for being stoopid, but today of course, you can sue for millions.

[amazondk]

John,

I read the other day that you are 4 times more likely to crash your car while on the cell phone. I suppose this would apply to walking as well. Back to white tree paint is this an Iberian phenomenon? Or is it found in non iberian influenced areas as well?

dk

[Really full garden]

It is very common to see this here.To add to the "charm" they sometimes also paint stones lining beds and driveways.

[John in Andalucia]

  amazondk said:

John,

I read the other day that you are 4 times more likely to crash your car while on the cell phone. I suppose this would apply to walking as well. Back to white tree paint is this an Iberian phenomenon? Or is it found in non iberian influenced areas as well?

dk

Don,

I understand it occurs not only in warmer climates, but anywhere that trees with dark coloured bark, or young trees with immature bark might be exposed to direct sunlight. Trees in winter, especially fruit trees, need equal protection to prevent the bark from splitting due to temperature extremes. A tree with frozen bark as it becomes exposed to strong, winter sunlight, thaws and expands, trapping moisture before freezing again. This supports the idea that it is done to prevent rot, whilst in hot, dry climates the paint acts as a block to guard against sunburn.

[_Keith]

Some folks did it around here when I was young. That was a loooong time ago. I was always told is was for insects, particularly for caterpiller control. Now, I have to admit that makes little sense to me, but that is what I was told.

I did quite a bit of searching about the internet on this one, and it seems narrowed down to 3 main reasons. 1) Insect control. 2) Protection of young tree trunks from sun damage in early spring, and 3) Effect of lime washing into soil when true white washing was done with Slacked Lime.

Nowadays, it seems WhiteWash has given way to White Latex paint, making the last one no longer valid.

I did find this company actually making a white latex paint blended specifically for trees http://www.starnursery.com/show_details.ph...amp;product=154

[Kris]

Dear Keith

lovely topic and i was planning to get my phoenix trunk painted in that fashion ?

And iam watching this post closely,since the end result of this discussion if it states its not healthy for palms or trees...then i will refrain from trying this or else...

lots of love,

Kris

[Mark Heath]

I have'nt pulled up the links that Scott and others supplied, but i have a neighbor that is from Costa Rica and he paints all of his Palm trees w/ the white paint also. I had asked him a while ago why, and he said that it deters the insects from crawling up the tree and setting up home there. He said it is a common practice in Costa Rica to do so for that reason. I'm fine w/ the bugs, forget the paint!!!!!!

[_Keith]

Scroll down on this thread on another board and check out some seriously whitewashed palm trunks. Actually, I think they fit into their environment quite well.

http://members3.boardhost.com/HardyPalm/msg/1215555255.html

[DoomsDave]

There's a couple of king palms near by place painted white, for that pretentious look, like, "We're the Joneses, keep up with US!" (Looking down nose through funky glasses . . . . and an airy wave of a pudgy, bejeweled hand. )

[SubTropicRay]

Someone thought it looked nice aesthetically many years ago. Now I have a feeling it's done because it has "always been done that way before."

[PalmGuyWC]

Thank goodness there are no white washed tree trunks in my area but.......I see pedestrains crossing busy intersections who are so involved on their cell phones, they only look at the traffic lights and not look each way to see if any traffic is coming. California just passed a law that it is illegal to use a hand held phone while driving. The fine is quite high, but people are still doing it. I guess some people have to learn the hard way. I live on a quite lane that gets a lot of foot traffic. Half the people are walking past babbling away on a cell phone. I see husbands stumbling around in the grocery store being directed by his wife at home which isle to pick up a certain item, and last minute shopping adjustments. I'm getting where I hate cell phones. Sorry, way off subject, but I see red when a soccer mom/dad driving a SUV with a cell phone in his/her face cuts me off in traffic, and it happens all to often. Phew! Glad I got that off my chest.

Dick