Branches also turn black, and stems may be affected, in which case the plants usually die. The entire group of flowers is attacked and converted to a prominent wooly mass of fungal growth. Also affects leaves and stems by infection from racemes. First symptoms are small, blackish spots from which drops of yellow may exude. Fungal threads which grow from these spots spread the infection and produce the characteristic wooly appearance of the inflorescence.
Capsules have distinctive bluish color in early stages.
Color may become darker or black in later stages of development.