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Nature is full of vibrant colors. Trees alone boast a wide spectrum of shades, from pink cherry blossoms to deep green pines to yellow maple leaves. However, some trees have white bark — not naturally like birch trees — because of human-done paint jobs. This isn’t a trend to make the trees look cool; after all, no amount of paint can one-up the inherent artistry of nature. Instead, the paint is used to protect trees while they develop.
Why Are Some Trees Painted White?
You may have seen trees’ lower trunks painted white. This is to protect the bark from sunscald, which is basically the plant version of sunburns. It commonly occurs in the winter where fluctuating temperatures from chilly nights to sunny days can damage the bark. So the light color protects the tree from overheating and prevents the bark from cracking. Splitting bark opens up the tree to disease, fungus, and insects that could infest and further harm the tree.
“This type of painting is typically done on thin-barked residential trees or orchards,” says Christopher Evans, extension forestry and research specialist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “Painting the trunks white is said to moderate the daytime heating of the bark and lessen the chances of sunscald injury.” It’s only needed for young trees until they grow stronger and less susceptible to changing temperatures.
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