About this time every year, people across Snohomish and King County notice their western red cedars turning brown on the inside. Sprays of rusty, orange-brown foliage close to the trunk can look alarming, especially after a string of dry summers. In most cases it's a normal process called seasonal flagging, where the tree sheds older interior foliage it no longer needs.
The pattern is what matters. Normal flagging is spread evenly through the inner crown while the branch tips stay green. Browning that starts at the top of the tree, thinning across the whole crown, or dead tops on several cedars in a row point to something different, usually drought stress that has been building for a few seasons and sometimes root problems.
Western red cedars have struggled in the lowlands of western Washington, and a cedar with a dying top can drop dead wood onto roofs, driveways, and play areas. An honest look at the tree tells you whether you're seeing normal shedding or a tree that needs attention. Sometimes the answer is to leave it alone, and we'll tell you that.
Are the cedars on your property shedding from the inside this fall, or are you seeing brown at the tops? #WesternRedCedar #PNWTrees
A real close-up of a western red cedar on a client property showing rusty, brown interior foliage with green branch tips, paired with a wider shot of the full tree. If available, a contrasting photo of a cedar with a thinning or dead top helps show the difference. Authentic photos strongly outperform stock images.
Canva text suggestion: "Brown Inside, Green Tips: Usually Normal" or "Watch the Top of Your Cedar"