Gregg Germain wrote:

I've never heard of that directly. But there's this:

Using green wood is usually a bad idea in boatbuilding as it promotes
rot. Yet you prefer green wood when steambending.
But the steaming eliminated the tendency for the wood to rot due to
it's "greeness".

So in that sense, steaming helps to prevent rot.

What people forget is that the heat of steaming actually drives moisture
OUT of green wood. Perhaps that's part of the reason for increased rot
resistance?