Pencil Rot (Brown Pocket Rot)

You'll see pencil rot and brown pocket rot in western red cedar as stem and butt decay developing in living trees without obvious external signs of defect. Infected trees may remain standing for years before failure. Consider keeping infected trees for their ecological value in forests. Proper forest management and drainage help minimize infection rates. Rot diseases are difficult to manage once established. Focus on prevention through proper culture and site selection.

Reduce moisture around affected tissue by improving drainage and air circulation. Remove rotted material cleanly and dispose of it away from the planting area. Avoid wounding healthy tissue during cleanup, as fresh wounds create new entry points. If the problem keeps returning, evaluate whether the site is too wet or poorly drained for the species you are growing.