![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.kerry.net.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/IXUS-058.jpg\" "\\"IXUS")
<\/a><\/p>\nWhitewashed tree<\/p>\n
I consulted the internet which produced a range of answers, many to do with sunburn and borers. The answer which made sense in the circumstances was this. \u00a0The white reflects light and prevents the trunk heating up too much during the day. \u00a0This minimises diurnal heat variation, splitting and damage to bark and thus helps keep the tree healthy. It\u2019s like lip balm for trees.\u00a0 On my trip to Qingdao\u00a0\u00a0I also noticed \u00a0that many lined the two lane roads and the white acted as roadside markers in the dark.<\/p>\n
Some of the other local trees have trunks wrapped in a coarse rope with varying degrees of attention to detail.\u00a0 \u00a0I found one also encased in plastic.<\/p>\n
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Rope wrapped trees in Xingtai<\/p>\n
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Rope and plastic<\/p>\n
\u00a0A weekend in Beijing where the weather is even harsher produced a greater variation in winter tree and shrub support. It included wrapping with rope and some kind of synthetic fabric, emplacement of the equivalent of a plastic greenhouse and specially constructed covers some of which had capacity for opening.<\/p>\n
Wrapped tree at the Summer Palace in Beijing<\/p>\n Wrapped tree at the Summer Palace Beijing<\/p>\n Tree covered by a greenhouse at the Summer Palace<\/p>\n Zhengyangmen Gate in Qianmen with covered shrubs<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n