White Pocket Rot (Piped Rot)

Inonotus dryophilus

50 host plants

Last updated

Data Maturity Baseline

This profile contains verified disease data from extension databases. Regional field notes and expert review are in progress.

Oak trees develop white pocket rot in heartwood with annual conks on the upper bole near wounds. Inonotus dryophilus enters through pruning wounds and other injuries. Inspect trees for decay to assess stability. Remove affected trees to avoid property damage. Avoid wounding trees and prevent water from sprinkler irrigation contacting trunks.

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.

Quick Reference

Causal Agent
Inonotus dryophilus
Host Plants
50
Favorable Conditions
Root contact with infected mycelium and decaying wood. Cool, moist soil condi...

Management

Vulnerability Window

Root infection Oct–May. Symptom expression delayed 3–10+ years post-infection. Progressive internal decay year-round; visible symptoms during heat/drought stress. Sudden decline when roots fail. BBCH 10–89.

What Triggers Infection

Root contact with infected mycelium and decaying wood. Cool, moist soil conditions (40–60°F, Oct–May). Stress factors including drought, poor drainage, wounds, and pest damage increase susceptibility and disease expression.

Cultural Controls

  • Irrigation water, especially from sprinklers, should not wet the trunks.
  • Inspect trees for decay to assess tree stability.
  • Remove affected trees to avoid damage to surrounding property.
  • Reference Boyce, J.S. 1961.
  • Forest Pathology, third edition.
  • McGraw-Hill Book Company.

Host Plants (50)

Quercus acutissima Sawtooth Oak Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak Quercus alba (Eastern) White Oak Quercus arizonica Arizona Oak, Arizona White Oak Quercus berberidifolia California Scrub Oak, Scrub Oak, Inland Scrub Oak Quercus bicolor Swamp White Oak Quercus bimundorum Two Worlds Oak, Bimundors Oak Quercus castaneifolia Chestnut-leaved Oak, Chestnutleaf Oak, Persian Oak Quercus cerris Turkey Oak Quercus chrysolepis Canyon Live Oak Quercus coccinea Scarlet Oak Quercus douglasii Blue Oak, California Blue Oak Quercus durata Leather Oak Quercus emoryi Emory Oak, Black Oak, Blackjack Oak Quercus engelmannii Engelmann Oak, Mesa Oak Quercus frainetto Hungarian Oak, Italian Oak Quercus gambelii Gambel Oak, Rocky Mountain White Oak Quercus garryana Oregon White Oak Quercus garryana var. breweri Brewer's Oak Quercus glandulifera Konara Oak Quercus glauca Japanese Blue Oak, Ring-cupped Oak Quercus hypoleucoides Silverleaf Oak, Whiteleaf Oak Quercus ilex Holly, Oak, Holm Oak Quercus ilicifolia Bear Oak Quercus imbricaria Shingle Oak Quercus kelloggii California Black Oak Quercus leana Lea's Oak Quercus lobata Valley Oak, Roble Oak, California White Oak Quercus macrocarpa Bur Oak, Mossycup Oak Quercus marilandica Blackjack Oak, Jack Oak Quercus mongolica Mongolian Oak Quercus montana Mountain Chestnut, Oak, Chestnut, Oak, Rock Chestnust Oak Quercus muehlenbergii Chinkapin Oak, Chinquapin Oak, Yellow Chestnut, Oak Quercus myrsinifolia Chinese Evergreen Oak, Bamboo-leaf Oak Quercus nigra Water Oak, Possum Oak Quercus palustris Pin Oak, Swamp Spanish Oak Quercus petraea Sessile Oak, Durmast Oak, Irish Oak Quercus phellos Willow, Oak Quercus prinoides Dwarf Chinquapin Oak, Dwarf Chestnut, Oak, Scrub Chestnut, Oak Quercus robur English Oak Quercus rubra Northern Red Oak Quercus sadleriana Sadler Oak, Deer Oak Quercus stellata Post Oak Quercus suber Cork Oak Quercus turbinella Scrub Live Oak Quercus undulata Wavyleaved Oak Quercus vaccinifolia Huckleberry, Oak Quercus velutina Black Oak Quercus virginiana Southern Live Oak, Live Oak Quercus wislizeni Interior Live Oak, Chapparal Oak