The part of the needles beyond the band dies. Severely infected trees look thin. Black fruitbodies will form in the dead tissue. White pine blister rust attacks White Pine and uses currant or gooseberry as an alternate host. The first symptom is usually a patch of brown bark surrounded by a yellow border.
Blister appear in the infected bark and release spores.
Eventually, the portion of the tree above the canker dies. The disease is favored by cool, moist weather in August and September. The needles droop if the roots can not supply adequate amounts of water. White and other pines may be injured by salt if growing near roads. Austrian Pine is the most salt tolerant pine.