An affected tree usually declines gradually and may eventually die, or it may collapse rapidly.
Fruit production is usually poor.
The canker has an accumulation of a dry, powdery, water-soluble sugar that exudes through minute cracks in the bark. In the absence of the powder, the canker is difficult to find. Cankers may range in size from very small to the greater part of the trunk and do not favor any side of the tree. Scraping off the bark over the canker reveals shallow reddish brown areas that rarely extend into the cambium. These areas can often be removed easily by inserting a knife blade under them and prying upwards.