Now, there seems to be a lot going on in the world of trees. Last month we explained the possible reason behind bent trees that you might see in the forest, while paint splashed upon the bark of a tree seems to adhere to a color code that can tell you things about the tree, including its health and future.

Trees might have an orange dot painted on them if they’re to be cut down soon, while purple markings on a tree might reportedly indicate that the tree stands on private land.

But what about trees that are painted white?

Well, we’ll admit to not having a clue what this meant before we did some reading up on the subject (thanks, internet). As per reports, trees are actually painted white in winter to protect them from getting sunburned!

No, we’re not joking, it’s not just deathly pale middle-aged men who need to be wary of the sun’s rays as they lie outside the shade on a tropical beach with their headphones in. Trees do too, apparently.

Now, given that the overwhelming majority of trees are outside, they’re naturally subject to temperature changes. The sun can heat up a tree’s bark during the day, causing it to grow. When the temperature drops at night, however, the bark can cool down and rapidly shrink.

Such changes can end up splitting the bark, in turn damaging the tree’s trunk.

And this is where the aforementioned white paint comes in. When a layer is applied to a tree, it helps to reflect the sun’s rays, thus preventing the trunk from getting too hot during in the day.

Who knew? Not us! Had you heard of this process before? Let us know in the comments.