trees

That is so that you cannot pi** on it, without being seen...  That's how Vietnamese higher ups think.

ha classic...serious ?

Seriously, I inquirred about that years ago and that was what they told me.  Call it what you may...  I didn't see anything like it until I came here.

Guys like Anatta should be hung...

I've hear 2 stories on why they paint the trees. One, the paint is suppose to repel insects and the second was the same as what wild_1 told you. Not really sure it is affective in either case, still see plenty of insects and plenty of people pissing on them.

Parmyd,

Who are you calling "insect"?  That is not a nice way to address Anatta and Budman?

Anatta and Budman,

What is wrong with you two?  I told you to stop answering the call of nature that way...  Now, you have trees named  after you, painted your color.  You must be proud, yeah?

the beaver know not to eat that tree # 69

Googled:

The outer bark is composed of non-living cells and as the tree grows this bark cracks and is shed by the tree. If the cracks are deep and go all the way to the wood of the tree then you may have a problem. Such cracks are normally caused by freeze or cold damage. Painting the trunks of the trees with white paint tends to reduce the amount of this type of damage. So check to see how deep the cracks are; if they are just superficial don''t worry about them. If they are deeper, then paint the lower trunks with a white latex paint. http://www.plantanswers.com/breakout/qa1642.html

Sun scald is a tree injury that can result in cracks and splits on the trunk. It occurs in the winter usually on the south or west side of the trunk. The damage takes place when the cells in the living tissue beneath the bark break dormancy on warm, sunny days and then rupture and die when night temperatures drop below freezing. The tree is injured when enough cells in a given area are killed. The following spring these dead areas will appear discolored and sunken. In time the bark killed by sun-scald will split and peel. These areas also provide entry points for insects and diseases.
To reduce or eliminate sun scald injury, wrap the trunks of susceptible trees each fall with tree wrap paper. Do this for one or two seasons until the bark begins to roughen. Remove each spring so as not to provide a home for insects. Tree trunks can also be treated with white latex paint, wrapped with burlap, or a light colored tree guard.
http://www.treepatch.com/SunScald.htm

"The white "stuff" they paint on the bottom of the tree is an insectacide. It keeps ants and other destructive bugs from burroughing into the bark and causing damage to the tree. That is what my neighbor told me when I asked him about his trees. "

"people paint trees for looks;yes looks. also for crawling bugs, no help in flying bugs. cherries and walnut trees are painted for sun burn fo the trunks of the tree; main reason. As the walnut tree has progressed it has become more succipable to sun burn which in time hurts the tree. see pdf ucdavis.up to now the trees have been moped,broomed, and ragged with a 50/50 blend of paint and water. also pdf claims painted walnuts trunks are protected from frost, a big plus which i believe and is probley fact by research of davis pdf. my expertise is better paint less thinned and applied by sprayer. a robot tractor guided by one of two men doing a faster better and cheaper job. remenber ca. comp costs and labor has substanually risen. the tractor is one of a kind and applacation secret at this time. un-32 for suckers could also applied this way maybe same time. any responce e-me. thank you alan mydland mydlalan@earthllink.net "

Source(s):
http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/Why_do_people_ … rees_white

asked a few Vietnamese about the trees, they say the white paint is mainly for decoration...

@Budman1:
you may have a problem. Such cracks are normally caused by freeze or cold damage.

In VN? Hardly, yse, in Ontario, Canada, when the temps are -30/-40, and the 'cracks' sound like rifle fire.

In TP HCM they paint trees AND number them. A senior cop told me this was done way, way back so they could observe people moving about in unlit areas. Since that time lighting has been improved and, besides, most Cong An are sleeping - on and off duty.

The trees are numbered and a survey is done annually to see which ones are missing and if nearby businesses are suspected of chopping the tree, they get a bill.

It's a paint with lime that is supposed to be insect repellant...

I'm Hanoian and as my knowklege, there are a lot of trees painted white at the base coz 2 reason:1, to repel insects (coz it was painted by lime and the second to the people can see them at night

yeah I think it is more of a delineator as you'll notice the trees along Tran Phu St are only painted white on the side of the road. But probably an insect repellant as well. When I asked the Vietnamese here they said for decoration. The park here in Nha Trang really is very well maintained and is a great place to visit with the sculptures and trees etc.